


Somewhere Beyond the Sea

by Andveryliterary_theatricaltoo



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angst, Field Trip Fic But Not Really, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Kidnapping, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Tony Stark Coparenting Peter Parker, Minor Original Character(s), Other, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, its not that bad though!!, nobody gets seriously hurt or anything, set before the first Avengers movie but after Iron Man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-03-09 14:26:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 27,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18918856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andveryliterary_theatricaltoo/pseuds/Andveryliterary_theatricaltoo
Summary: Another one of those field trip fics... Or is it?Peter Parker goes on a field trip to D.C.With Iron Man as his dad, what could possibly go wrong?AKA a biological Irondad AU inspired by Finding Nemo...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!! This is my first time to write or post a Marvel fic, so go easy on me!! Comments and suggestions are definitely welcome though. I'm in love with the concept of Peter being Tony's biological son mostly because who can resist Peter as a kid?? So I thought, might as well write one of my own! Think of this as a late Father's Day gift! Enjoy!
> 
> P.S: There are NO ENDGAME SPOILERS in this fic for those who have yet to watch it!! It's set post-Iron Man but pre-Avengers

Tony Stark was asleep. At least, he _had been_ until--

 

“First day of school!” an excited voice piped up directly in front of his face.

 

Tony ignored it and turned to face the other way. But the voice demanded his attention.

 

“First day of school! First day of school!” the voice repeated even louder.

 

Tony swore that sometimes it was like he had a human alarm clock.

He could feel the weight of someone climbing on the bed. Tiny hands were trying to peel his eyes open, but he just waved it off.

 

“Come on! Wake up, it's time for school!”

 

Tony groaned at the voice, “Ugh… Five more minutes,” he said in hopes that he would finally be left alone to sleep. Unfortunately, that only made the voice more persistent. The bed shook as if someone was now bouncing on it.

 

“It's time for school! First day! Wake up!”

 

He tried to shut the noise out by placing a pillow over his ear only for it to be swiped away immediately.

 

“I don't wanna go to school…” Tony mumbled groggily.

 

“Not _you_ , dad! _Me_!”

 

 _Dad_.

 

As expected, when he blinked his eyes open, Tony was face to face with his son, Peter.

 

Eventually, he conceded and began to sit up.

 

“Is it your first day already?” he yawned, pretending not to notice.

 

Peter rolled his eyes.

 

“Really? Last time I checked, you were only… Five?” Tony teased, a smirk dancing on his lips.

 

A pout formed on the young child's face.

“I just turned ten, daddy!” he crossed his arms in frustration.

 

Tony put on a look of surprise. “Oh really now?” he furrowed his brows, “That's crazy, I swear you were _just_ five…”

 

Peter pouted at his father.

 

Tony let out an amused chuckle.

 

“I was only kidding. No need to be upset, kiddo.”

 

Peter frowned, trying to maintain his fake glare which poured into Tony's eyes.

 

The older Stark knew what his kid was up to, and he decided to give in. “Come on, Pete. I'm sorry.” he apologized.

 

Still no reaction.

 

“Alright then,” Tony shrugged with a mischievous gleam in his eye, “Guess I'll just have to turn that frown,” he scooped Peter up into his arms, “... _upside down_!” he grinned before tickling his chin.

 

A giggle escaped Peter's mouth as he tried to escape. But his father held him close. Soon, his face broke into a huge toothy grin.

 

Tony’s heart melted at the sight.

Only _Peter’s_ smile could break through that snarky tough playboy exterior.

 

“Okay! Okay! You win!” Peter surrendered in between laughs. “I wasn't actually mad!”

 

Tony sat him down on his lap. “Yeah I know, buddy…” he ruffled the boy's hair. “Now, go get ready. Don't wanna be late on your first day of school, do you?”

 

At the mention of his first day, Peter’s face lit up once again, and he was back to being the same boundless ball of energy. The boy practically leapt off of his father’s lap.

 

A fond smile found its way onto Tony’s face as he watched Peter race towards his room to prepare.

  


“Okay,” Tony began his last reminders as they ate breakfast together, “So, May will bring you to school,” he informed his son, “and Happy will stay with you on campus all day. If you need anything, he'll be right there to help, okay?”

 

Peter nodded while happily munching on his animal crackers.

 

“Good,” Tony replied contently.

 

“Why can't _you_ bring me to school?” Peter asked curiously as he drank the last of his milk.

 

Tony let out a sigh as he wiped the milk and crumbs off his son’s mouth. “I'm sorry, Pete. We've talked about this…” he tried for a smile, “If I go with you, people will figure out you're my son,” he explained for what seemed like the millionth time.

“Why’s it a secret?” Peter tilted his head.

 

“I mean-- It’s not a secret _per se_....” his dad tried to explain. “I just don't want you growing up with the pressure of the Stark name.”

 

“But I like being a Stark!” Peter piped up.

 

Tony chuckled dryly, “Well, in school, they'll know you as Peter _Parker_ ,” he said with a small _boop_ on the nose.

 

Biologically, Peter was _his_.

 

However, the news of having a son didn't reach him until Mary Parker died. Peter was only four when he was given to Tony. And that was enough to completely turn his life around— well, aside from becoming Iron Man a few months prior. Instead of drinking, partying, and wallowing in his own self-destruction, he swore to dedicate the rest of his life to raising and protecting Peter Parker.

 

Peter Stark.

 

“Until you're old enough to decide whether you want this life” he continued, gesturing around Stark Tower, “I won't risk it.”

 

 _I won't let myself mess you up like Howard did to me_ , he kept to himself while clenching his mug.

 

Peter noticed the tension written on his father’s face.

 

“Okay, daddy,” he agreed, hoping the older man would smile. “In that case, I can't wait to be Peter Parker!”

 

“That's my boy,” Tony felt the edge of his lip quirk up before taking a sip of his steaming mug of coffee.

 

What he failed to notice was just _how ho_ t the drink actually was. Once his tongue made contact with the piping hot liquid, he hissed in pain.

 

“Oh fu--”

 

Peter shot him a glare.

 

“--uuuuun…..” he quickly corrected himself. “ _Fun_ . Yes. Have _fun_ at school, Pete.”

 

Peter couldn't help but laugh. “Nice save, dad,” he grinned.

 

As though on cue, they heard the sound of a car pulling over at the entrance.

 

“Yeah, yeah, kid,” Tony rolled his eyes, also chuckling at himself, “Stay safe,” he said before bending down to plant a kiss on Peter’s head.

 

“I will!” his son replied, already heading towards the door and eager to get to school.

 

“Hey, Pete, hold up!” Tony called out after him. Peter was almost out the door, but he stopped to turn around.

 

Tony stood up and presented his son with a watch. Peter examined it in awe. He loved his dad’s inventions. “Whoa, what is it?”

 

“This is a tracker. JARVIS can update me on your location and health,” he explained while securing it on Peter’s wrist. “And so I’ll always be one call away,” he winked, pointing at the distress button on the side.

 

Peter was beaming.

 

“Thanks, Daddy! I love it!” he jumped in excitement.

 

**_BEEP BEEP!_ **

 

“Alright, bud. Don't keep May waiting,” Tony chuckled.

 

He didn't even have to say it twice because Peter was already running towards the door.

 

“Love you, son!” Tony called out to him.

 

Just before getting into the car, Peter turned around and smiled, “Love you too, dad!”

 

And just like that, he was off to school…

  
  


“Good morning class. Welcome to Midtown School of Science and Technology,” the teacher greeted. “I am Mr. Harrington, and I will be your homeroom adviser this year.”

 

In a class full of grade schoolers, it wasn't hard to tell that nobody was paying attention. The children didn't exactly hide their disinterest. They were noisy and rowdy.

 

All of them were, except for Peter who was listening intently.

 

The teacher seemed to notice this and said, “It's good to see our newest addition to the class is actually listening.”

 

Peter sat up straight with a big smile on his face.

 

“Class, please welcome Mr Peter Parker,” Mr Harrington announced, reading his name off the class list.

 

This got the class’ attention.

All eyes were now on the new student. Some looked at him in curiosity. Others rolled their eyes. However, one student in particular sent him a look of utter disgust.

 

Peter flushed in embarrassment as he sunk lower into his seat.

 

“Psst!” the student beside him caught his attention suddenly.

 

Peter turned his head and found himself face to face with a familiar kid.

 

“Ned?” his eyes lit up in recognition.

 

Ned Leeds.

 

The two of them were family friends. They lived on the same street in Queens. Mrs. Leeds and Aunt May were in the same book club together, so he and Ned would hang out often. Although, they hadn’t been in touch since Peter moved to Stark Tower. It was nice to see him again.

 

“You study here too?” he asked.

 

“Yeah, but nevermind that!” Ned shook his head excitedly. Then he lowered his voice for only Peter to hear. “Is it true that you live with Tony Stark now?”

 

Peter nearly choked on air. “H-How did you--?”

“I knew it!” Ned pumped a fist in the air.

 

“Shhhh!” Peter rushed to silence him.

 

All eyes were on them now. The class was giving them weird looks. Thankfully none of them seemed to hear anything. Mr. Harrington continued his discussion and everyone went back to minding their own business.

 

Peter shot Ned an exasperated look.

“Dude!” he whispered, “It's supposed to be a secret.”

 

Ned’s face broke into an even wider grin. “So it _is_ true!” he quietly exclaimed. “Wow…” his eyes lit up in awe. “You actually know Tony Stark…”

 

“I mean, yeah… He's kinda my dad,” he shrugged.

 

“Your what?!”

 

Despite himself, a proud grin made its way up to the young Stark’s face.

Peter wasn't gonna lie— he loved being a Stark. He had the best dad in the world, and if he had a chance to show it off, he would do so proudly.

 

“Leeds. Parker,” Mr. Harrington called them out. “Keep it down.”

 

“Sorry,” they chorused, suppressing the urge to giggle.

 

They managed to contain their excitement for the rest of the day. He and Ned competed to recite during class. They gave up when teachers refused to call them anymore. Ned won.

 

They spent their lunch break catching up.

Ned told Peter about a new sandwich place in Queens. And Peter told him about how he and his father spent the summer inventing cool glasses and gadgets.

 

Ned was the only one in school who knew Peter’s actual identity, so it was nice to talk about it with him— even if telling him was just an accident.

  


As soon as the bell rang at the end of the day, the class immediately emptied the classroom, eager to go home— Ned included.

 

“See ya, Peter!” he waved before rushing out.

 

Peter waved back and started packing up his things. He glanced towards the window to check if May was there already. All he saw was Happy standing outside like he had been all day.

 

Peter kinda felt bad for him, but Happy had been watching over him since he was started living with Tony. He was used to it by now.

 

Once he had packed everything, Peter swung the backpack over his shoulder, then turned to leave.

 

The young boy headed towards the door only to be cornered by another kid.

 

This kid wasn't that much taller than him, but Peter felt so small when he stared up at the towering figure. He was the same student who glared at him when he was introduced that morning.

 

“U-uh hi,” Peter tried to put on a friendly smile. “I-I'm Peter Parker. What's your name?” he offered his hand.

 

May always taught him to be polite.

 

“Flash Thompson,” the taller kid sneered, ignoring the outstretched hand.

 

“Oh. Um…. Nice to meet you, Flash,” Peter smiled awkwardly. “I uh… Actually have to go now,” he made a move for the door, but Flash didn't budge. “M-maybe you could move a lit--”

 

“Listen up, Parker,” he cut him off. “What's your deal?”

 

“W-what deal?”

 

Flash smirked, “Don't think I haven't noticed your bodyguard standing outside the whole day. I'm not dumb.”

 

Peter backed up slowly as Flash took a menacing step forward.

 

“What's the matter?” he taunted. “Looks like you're just a baby who can't handle _big-boy_ school,” he laughed mockingly.

 

“We’re the same age,” Peter shot back with a witty remark.

 

Sure, politeness was great. But sometimes, he needed to stand his ground.

 

 _Tony_ taught him that.

 

Flash obviously seemed taken aback. “W-Whatever!” he stammered. “I don't care. Just don't get in my way,” he jabbed a finger at Peter’s chest.

 

Peter tried not to flinch, but his confidence faltered. He took another step back in fear until he felt his back against the cold hard wall.

 

“I've got my eye on you, Parker,” Flash glared. “ _Okay?_ ” he threatened, as if daring him to argue.

 

The smaller boy gulped. “O-okay…”

 

Clearly satisfied with himself, Flash finally left him alone...

 

Peter’s lips quivered.

  


_No Peter. Don't cry_ , he bit his lip, trying to stop himself. _Don't let him get to you..._

 

He took in a shaky breath.

 

He did this a few more times.

 

Once he felt calm enough, he put on the most convincing smile he could and headed outside to where Aunt May and Happy were waiting.

  


“How was your first day, kiddo?” Tony’s face lit up as his son entered the lab. The kid had perfect timing. It was getting too quiet.

 

“Good…” Peter lied.

Well it wasn't a _complete_ lie.

 

Tony’s smile faded slightly when he noticed Peter’s smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

 

He furrowed his brows in concern. “You okay there, Pete?”

 

Peter nodded.

 

Tony looked at him again, worry lacing his expression. The concerned father was still unconvinced, but he let it slide for now…

 

“Okay then,” Tony prompted. “Why don't you tell me all about your first day while we work in the lab together?” he suggested, pulling a chair out for Peter to join him. “I'll even let Dum-E bring out some food.”

 

Peter perked up at the mention of working with Tony. He loved helping out his dad in the lab. Even Flash couldn't ruin this. Peter wouldn't let him. So, he put on his first genuine smile since dismissal, and shut all negative thoughts from his mind.

 

The young boy eagerly hopped onto the seat beside his father.

 

“So today, I had lots of cool subjects,” Peter began rambling, throwing in some  animated gestures when needed.

 

“Did you know my friend Ned goes to Midtown too?”

“I got a sticker today for reciting!”

“There's no homework yet, so I can stay in the lab with you all day!”

 

Tony laughed to himself fondly.

 

Once that boy opened his mouth, he knew it would be hard to get him to stop. But frankly, he was glad.

  
He ruffled his son’s hair and hummed in content, “ _That's_ my Peter…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay!! 1st chapter is done! I'll be updating this fic very frequently. I actually already have the whole fic finished. It's 15 chapters in total, but I didn't want to post it all at once! So keep reading to find out what happens next hehe
> 
> If you like the story so far, hmu on my Tumblr account @whereeverythingisnew!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Told you I'd be back really soon!! Here's the second chapter. I hope y'all like it!

School wasn't so bad.

 

Peter loved his classes, and he excelled in all of them. He enjoyed learning. Most of all, he loved hanging out with his friends— well, _friend_.

 

Ned was pretty much his only friend, but that was fine. He was great company.

 

So yeah. School wasn't so bad.

 

Except, all this would have been so much better if he wasn't cornered by Flash and his goons daily.

 

It was always the same thing everyday.

 

“Still need a babysitter, Parker?” he mocked, pulling Peter aside whenever he saw Happy around campus. “Need him to change your diapers?”

 

Peter thought it was a bit immature, to be honest.

 

That didn't stop it from bothering him though. Each insult was a dart on his confidence.

 

For some reason Flash loved picking on him.

Was it because he was smaller?

That couldn't be it.

He was terrified of their classmate _Michelle_ who was even tinier.

 

“He's just jealous, you know?” Ned told him. “Jealous that you're smarter and richer and all that,” he smirked.

 

Peter laughed. “By ‘ _all that_ ’ do you mean--?”

 

“That you're a Stark?” he said, keeping his voice down. “Yeah.”

 

Peter swatted his best friend lightly and grinned.

  


That was pretty much his routine now.

Even _Michelle_ knew the drill.

 

Though, as much as Peter wanted it, she couldn't be there to send Flash running _all the time_.

 

And it was during these times that Flash wouldn't leave him alone.

  


It had been a month since school started, and it was the final class of the week.

 

They were only in elementary school. School days shouldn't have felt _this_ long yet… Peter's felt like a millennium.

 

He was just ready to go home and see his dad. That always cheered him up.

 

“Alright class,” Mr Harrington cleared his throat, “Before you all go home, I have an announcement.”

 

The entire class groaned.

 

Though, as usual, Peter was intrigued.

 

Mr Harrington rolled his eyes and continued, “Next Monday, we will be having a field trip.”

 

Suddenly, students were buzzing in their seats, speculating about where they would be going.

 

“Where do you think it'll be?” Peter whispered to Ned who was just as excited.

 

“I hope we go to the Stark Tower!” he replied.

 

Peter rolled his eyes and laughed, “I don't wanna go on a trip to my own home. That's boring!”

 

Ned just shrugged, “I can dream, can't I?”

 

Peter decided not to argue.

 

“Listen up, class,” Mr Harrington raised his voice in irritation. The class quieted down. “We will be going to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C,” he finally announced.

 

Right on cue, the bell rang, and his classmates were already heading out the door, chattering in excitement.

 

“Don't forget! I need your permission slips signed by then!” Mr Harrington called out to his students before they all left.

 

Peter couldn't wait to tell his dad. It was his first field trip!

 

He raised his wrist up to make the call on his watch. But in a flash, someone tore it off.

 

Peter didn't even need to turn around when he said, “Give it back, Flash.”

 

“How come you always wear this watch, Parker?” he interrogated, examining the item in his hand.

 

Peter rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now. “To tell the time,” he deadpanned to Flash’s surprise.

 

What could he say? He was a sassy ten year old. He had his dad to thank for that.

 

“Did you just sass me, Parker?” Flash glared at him.

 

Peter shot back with a glare of his own. “Just give it back Flash,” he repeated.

 

“I dunno,” the bully held on to the watch, “It doesn't look like any of _my_ watches,” he said. “And it definitely looks too expensive for _you_ , Parker.”

 

Peter grinned proudly.

 

“Yeah, well that's because my daddy ma-- I mean, _bought_ it!” he caught himself on time.

 

Flash didn't seem to notice the slip.

He just went back to teasing Peter.

 

“Is it some kind of _baby monitor_ that your _daddy_ gave to you, baby-Parker?”

 

Now that Peter thought about it, for once, Flash wasn't wrong.

 

It was _basically_ a baby monitor.

It tracked his location, sent his vitals back to Tony, alerted his dad when he was in distress, and enabled communication.

 

That got him thinking…

 

Maybe he _was_ a helpless child.

 

“I-- Y-yeah. So what if it is?” Peter argued, his confidence slowly failing.

 

“Ha!” Flash barked, “I knew you were just a baby. You wouldn't survive a minute on our field trip. Can't do anything without your precious _da-da_ ,” he mimicked a baby.

 

Peter glared daggers at the other boy. It was probably as intimidating as an innocent puppy, but he didn't care.

 

Nobody insulted his dad.

 

“I said _give it back_ ,” he demanded forcefully. “Leave my daddy out of this.”

 

Flash rolled his eyes.

“Grow up, Parker. Stop being such a party pooper. I was just having a little fun.”

 

It was Peter's turn to roll his eyes. “Real mature,” he huffed. “Why don't you take _your own_ advice and grow up for once, Flash?”

 

Flash’s smirk faltered at the clever retort, but he quickly recomposed himself by saying, “O-Oh y-yeah…?” he tried thinking of a comeback. “Who are you gonna call this time? Your _mommy_?”

 

Peter froze.

This time Flash had gone too far.

 

He didn't have a mom anymore.

That was a low blow, even for Flash…

 

Tears welled up in Peter's eyes, threatening to fall. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to stop the tears.

 

He couldn't let Flash win.

 

But Peter knew he _already_ _had_ when he heard the sound of his watch dropping to the floor.

 

“Nice chat, crybaby.”

 

With that, he was left alone in the classroom to cry.

  


“Alright. Thanks for letting me know May.”

 

Tony Stark had just gotten off the phone with May Parker. She had told him that when she picked Peter up from school, he was crying.

 

Just the mere thought of his son in tears pained Tony.

 

He dropped everything at work to rush back home to Peter. As he drove to Stark Tower, his mind was racing with all the possible scenarios for why his kid was upset.

 

He didn't want to fear the worse.

 

“I'm home! I came as soon as I heard!” Tony called out to the Tower.

 

“Welcome home, Mr. Stark,” JARVIS greeted him in a robotic voice. Though it humanized before continuing with, “Your son seems distressed, sir. It appears that he is crying.”

 

“Where is he?”

 

“In his room, sir.”

 

Tony sped up to his son’s room. He knocked lightly on the door to alert Peter of his presence.

 

“Hey there,” he said from the other side of the wall. “Can I come in, buddy?”

 

Tony waited patiently outside until he heard the door handle click open.

 

He carefully slipped into the room.

  


“Can I come in, buddy?” he heard his father’s voice call out from outside.

 

Peter quickly wiped the tears off his face.

 

He couldn't let his dad see him like this. Like a helpless crybaby.

 

After making sure he looked at least more presentable, he cleared the tissues from his bed and went to open the door.

 

“Pete?” Tony peeked his head through the door.

 

“Hi daddy…” Peter looked up at the man, his voice barely audible.

 

Tony's expression softened into a concerned smile.

“Hey, Pete… Have room for one more?” he asked, letting himself in.

 

Peter nodded slowly before sinking down to the floor beside his bed. He drew his knees closer to his chest, and made room for his father.

 

The older Stark closed the door behind him and bent down to join his son.

“So… Bad day, huh?” he prompted.

 

“Yeah,” Peter’s voice was small.

He tried to dismiss the whole issue. “It's nothing… Just tired,” he waved it off.

 

Tony wasn't believing any of it.

He arched a brow.

“You sure about that? I heard you were crying.”

 

How did he--?

 

 _Aunt May_ , Peter concluded to himself. _Of course…_

 

Tony bit his lip hesitantly before placing a hand on the kid’s shoulder. Peter let it stay.

 

“You know…” Tony started reluctantly. “You know you can always tell me anything, Peter…” he reassured. “I'm here to help.”

 

For a moment, Peter actually considered telling him the truth.

 

That Flash bullied him at school. That he just wanted it to stop. That he was tired of it…

 

But he couldn't tell his father.

He was a Stark. He couldn't let his dad down.

 

“I-- I dropped my watch at school today. And I-- I was scared y-you would get mad…” Peter lied, adding an occasional sniffle to back it up.

 

Apparently it was a very convincing lie because Tony’s shoulders instantly relaxed.

 

“Oh, Petey,” he sighed in relief. “Of course I'm not mad…”

 

Peter sniffled again, “You're not?”

 

“It's just a watch,” Tony shrugged. “If it ever breaks, I can always make you a new one. You can even help me out,” he grinned, nudging his son playfully in attempts of getting a smile out of him.

 

It worked. Peter let out a small laugh.

 

“Y-yeah… I guess you're right,” he smiled, feeling slightly better. “Sorry for making you rush home, dad.”

 

Tony shook his head.

 

“Don't sweat it, kid. The meeting was boring anyway,” he winked at Peter which made him laugh.

 

“Now…” Tony grinned, “May said something about a field trip?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooh things are starting to get a little angstier!! Sorry if this chapter is a little shorter or if anyone is ooc, but I can't wait to post the next one!! Comments are always welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for posting so late! But I figured that with Far From Home showing, I might as well post this chapter too! I still haven't watched it, but I'm really excited to see it this weekend! Anyway, hopefully y'all like this chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it hehe. Sorry if anything is ooc though. I tried my best to improve from the feedback on the last chapter, but there's not much I can do since all the other chapters are already written... I just hope you enjoy the story despite its flaws!!

Before they knew knew it, Monday had arrived. 

 

Both Tony and Peter had woken up bright and early for the field trip.

Tony wanted to bid his son goodbye before he left for D.C. and make sure everything was all set.

 

Peter, on the other hand, had been thinking about what Flash said all weekend. Several thoughts ran through his head.

 

_Looks like you're just a baby who can't handle big-boy school!_

 

_Still need a babysitter Parker?_

 

_You wouldn't survive a minute on our fieldtrip._

 

_Can't do anything without your precious da-da._

  


Peter shook his head in frustration.

He was tired of this.

He needed to stand up to him.

 

Prove that he wasn't helpless,

Prove that he could handle himself.

Prove that he _could_ do it without his dad.

 

He would prove Flash wrong.

 

This field trip was the perfect opportunity. 

  


“Okay so, May signed your permission slip,” Tony’s voice brought him back to reality, “I already placed it in your backpack,” he said, mentally checking it off his list.

 

Peter fidgeted nervously before opening his mouth. “Hey dad, I wanted to ask--”

 

“And I placed some cheese and crackers in your lunchbox in case you get hungry,” Tony continued, too busy to acknowledge his son.

 

“Um dad… I--”

 

“Your glasses are all packed, and I made sure to charge them so you can videotape— video _log_ ?” he tried again. “ _Vlog_?”

 

“Thanks dad, but I'm trying to--”

 

“Do you have your watch on?” Tony suddenly asked him.

 

“What?” Peter blinked back in shock, surprised that he was being acknowledged.

 

“Your watch. Are you wearing it?” his father repeated.

 

“Oh um… Yeah,” Peter inwardly grimaced, remembering the incident with Flash. “Maybe I could take it o--”

 

“Good,” Tony continued without noticing his son’s concerns. “I also made sure that…” he trailed off and continued his checklist.

 

Peter held back a groan as he threw his head back in annoyance.

 

He knew that his dad meant well. And that he was only extra paranoid _today_ because it was their first time being separated from each other since… well, since Tony became Iron Man.

 

But this is exactly what Flash was talking about.

 

“Happy will follow you around the entire time, so you don't have to worry about getting lost.”

 

At the mention of his bodyguard, Peter’s head shot up.

 

“Actually daddy… About that…” he bit his lip nervously.

 

That's when Tony finally turned to acknowledge him.

 

He raised a brow, “Yes?”

 

“I was thinking… Maybe I could go… _alone_?”

Peter shifted the weight of his feet, waiting anxiously for his father’s response.

 

“Happy’s already volunteered to follow your class around, Peter,” Tony replied.

 

“But m-maybe he could just _bring_ me there,” Peter tried to convince him. “He might just get bored, and I think he should take a break!” he flashed a pleading smile.

 

Tony thought about it for a while.

Though, he couldn't just let his kid go to a different state unsupervised.

It would drive him crazy with worry.

 

He put on an apologetic smile before saying, “I'm sure Happy would love to accompany you. Don't worry. You won't even notice he's there…”

 

Peter knew this was his dad’s way of telling him to drop the topic. 

So he did— as much as he hated to.

 

“Okaaaaay…” Peter replied, dragging the word out.

 

Satisfied with his answer, Tony quickly changed the subject.

 

“Sooo,” he prompted with a friendly nudge, “Excited for the trip, Pete?”

 

Peter let out a deep sigh. 

 

Was he excited to be followed around?

Was he excited to be bullied?

 

Nope.

 

“Yeah… I guess…” he shrugged.

 

Tony instantly picked up on his son’s lack of enthusiasm— which was unusual. He narrowed his eyes in concern. “Doesn't seem like it… Are you sure you're feeling okay, kid?”

 

He quickly placed a hand on Peter's forehead. “Do you have a fever? Are you coming down with something?”

 

Peter squirmed uncomfortably as his dad continued fussing over him. “Dad, I--”

 

“I dunno if I'm equipped this sort of thing... What would May do?”

 

He opened his mouth in protest. “Dad--”

 

But he couldn't get a single word in. His father still wasn't listening.

 

“Maybe you should skip the trip if you aren't feeling too well.”

 

Tony was still under the notion that Peter couldn't take care of himself. Just like Flash, and just like everyone else,

 

He wasn't a baby anymore.

Peter had had enough.

 

“JARVIS run a scan on--”

 

“Dad, I'm fine! Okay?!” he finally snapped.

 

The room went quiet.

 

Tony felt like he'd just been slapped on the face. 

He stared at his son with wide eyes— now filled with a mix of emotions. His dad instincts dialed to eleven.

 

Taken aback by the sudden outburst, he slowly backed away to give Peter space.

 

There was an awkward silence between them.

 

And at that moment Tony finally noticed that Peter was trying to tell him something. It seemed like he had been trying for a while now...

 

“Peter,” Tony approached cautiously. He didn't trust himself enough to handle situations like these, but it didn't mean he wouldn't try. “Listen, buddy, I'm so--”

 

“No dad, _you_ listen!” Peter cut him off, the pent-up anger fueling his reply. “I've been trying to tell you all morning, but I don't _need_ Happy following me around anymore!”

 

As much as Tony wanted to disagree, he remained quiet and let his son continue. He seemed upset.

 

“I know you still see me as your baby boy, but you _gotta_ stop acting like I'll turn into dust every time I leave,” Peter accused. “I'm a _big_ boy, and I can do things on my own!”

 

Tony stood there in silent shock, contemplating on his reply.

 

Peter never lashed out at him before.

There must have been a deeper reason for this. It wouldn't just come out of nowhere.

 

“I know you can do things yourself,” Tony sent him a sympathetic smile. “It's not that I don't trust you,” he admitted, “It's just that I can't stand the thought of losing you when I could've prevented it.”

 

 _Like with your mother…_ he stopped himself from saying, his heart instantly filling with regret.

 

“I also can't risk you getting discovered as my son. That'll put a target on your back,” Tony continued. “For paparazzi, press, or even super villains,” he added. “There is no way I’m putting you through that. I want you to have a normal childhood.”

 

Tony exhaled deeply, not daring to look at his son in the eye. “I'm sorry Peter, but my answer is still no.”

 

However, Peter was tired of the same excuse. 

 

_“I'm trying to protect you.”_

 

_“I don't want you growing up with the expectations of the Stark name.”_

 

_“I'm not letting myself ruin your childhood like Howard did with mine.”_

 

It was always the same thing.

 

“If you cared so much about giving me a ‘normal childhood’, you wouldn't have sent a bodyguard to follow me around everywhere!” Peter suddenly argued. “Cause I don't know about _you_ dad, but in _my_ school, that’s not normal!”

 

Tony opened his mouth to defend himself, but nothing came out. 

 

The kid had a point.

But it was still Tony’s duty to keep him safe.

 

He sighed in a final attempt to convince his son. “You may not understand it yet, Pete, but all of this is for your own good.”

 

Peter rolled his eyes. “Is it? Is it _really_ for _my_ good? Or good for the _company_?” he pouted.

 

Tony took a careful step forward, as he reached out to calm his child.

He could hear the desperation in his own voice, “P-Peter, you _know_ that's not why I--”

 

“Just face it daddy, you only care about your reputation!”

 

"What? N-No that's not what I--"

 

"You're acting like Howard!" Peter’s voice echoed throughout the room.

 

And suddenly… Silence.

  


Tony looked up, revealing the hurt in his eyes. It felt as though he had just been stabbed in the heart. A thousand times.

 

He stood there in stunned silence.

 

“Peter… I--” his voice cracked, betrayed. 

 

 _I'm so sorry…_ he wanted to say.

 

But the words got caught in this throat.

He was speechless.

 

“I-- I… I gotta go…” Peter said, not daring to look at his father in the eye.

 

He pressed an item into Tony’s hand, and ran away.

 

Tony Stark watched helplessly as May led him into the car. She eyed her distraught nephew with concern. Happy stepped forward to follow, but Tony held a hand out to hold him back.

 

“Let him go,” he said.

 

“But Tony--”

 

“Just let him go,” Tony repeated with finality.

 

He looked back at what Peter had given him before leaving. He felt it weighing down in his hand.

An uneasy knot formed in his stomach because he already knew what it was.

 

As expected, Tony opened his palm to reveal his son’s watch…

 

His heart was heavy.

 

Happy studied his boss’ expression with worry. “Do you think he'll be okay?” he asked.

 

Tony clenched Peter's watch in his fist as he anxiously watched the car drive off into the distance.

It grew smaller and smaller. And with every second his heart sunk lower and lower with regret.

 

Tony couldn't bring himself to go after him.

 

“God, I sure hope so…” he pleaded.

  


“You're acting like Howard!” 

 

Peter regretted his words as soon as they came out his mouth. 

 

His anger instantly vanished, and the reality of it all came crashing down on him.

 

That's when he realized he had gone too far.

 

He looked up at Tony’s face, hoping to apologize. But guilt immediately washed over him once he saw the look of betrayal in his father’s eyes.

“P-Peter I--”

 

Tony didn't continue.

 

But Peter could already hear it in his head.

_“I'm so disappointed in you.”_

 

Tears began to form in the child's eyes.

 

He knew his dad would never say that, but after what happened, Peter wouldn't be surprised if he eventually did.

 

A thousand emotions were racing through Peter’s mind.

Guilt. Anger. Sadness. Regret. 

 

He just needed to get out of the room.

 

The young boy couldn't bring himself to look his father in the eye. Instead he just said, “I-- I… I gotta go…” in the smallest voice possible.

 

He took the watch off his wrist— he didn't deserve it anymore— and handed it over to his father.

 

And as soon as he let it go, he ran out the door. He ran towards the car. He ran towards Aunt May with tears rolling down his cheeks.

 

He couldn't bear to imagine the look of disappointment on Tony's face.

 

He didn't want to turn back.

He knew his father wouldn't come after him. Not after what he had said...

 

Happy didn't follow him into the car.

 

And neither did Tony.

  


Peter realized that he had gotten what he wished for.

 

But at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I know... The angst has arrived I am sorry. Did y'all catch that Infinity War reference? Hehehe  
> Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. I've worked really hard on this fic, so comments are always welcome! See you in the next chapter!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! I'm so sorry this update took so long!! I was really busy with school and stuff, but I'm finally on break, so you can expect me to update more frequently! Hopefully every week if it works out hahaha  
> Anyway, before we get on track, just wanted to say that I wrote this fic before Endgame and Far From Home... So anything that may reference the two films is pure coincidence! Think of it as a accidental Easter eggs I guess hehe
> 
> Alright, I've kept y'all waiting for long enough... Enjoy the chapter!!

“He hates me!” 

 

“It's gonna be okay, Peter,” Ned reassured him. “I'm sure he doesn't hate you,” he tried to console his friend. 

 

“B-but... I--I c-called him… How--” Peter stopped himself. The name left a bitter taste on his tongue. “I called him G-Grandpa,” he managed to stammer in between sniffles. 

 

“That’s okay!” Ned tried for a supportive smile, “He's getting old anyway…” he teased in an attempt to get a laugh out of the other boy.

 

Peter let out a small laugh.

 

Ned’s face brightened as he saw his friend starting to smile.

“See?” he said, “It's not the end of the world… I'm sure he'll get over it eventually.”

 

“I sure hope so...”

  
  


Once Mr Harrington arrived, the students began filing into the school bus in pairs. Peter and Ned chose to stay in the front near the teachers. They knew how chaotic the back would get.

Plus, they didn't want to have to deal with--

 

“What do you want Flash?” Peter gritted his teeth as the bully approached him.

 

Flash snorted, “You look like a mess, Parker,” he noticed his nose that was red from crying. “What else is new?” 

 

Peter clenched his fists, seething.

It was Flash’s fault for all this. He was the reason Peter had snapped. If Flash hadn't taunted and bullied him so often, he wouldn't have lashed out at his dad.

 

_ But it's not just  _ his _ fault… _ Peter reminded himself.

 

He blamed himself for allowing Flash to get to his head in the first place.

 

_ Not this time _ , Peter swore to himself.  _ Not again... _

 

He took a deep breath to center himself.

 

Flash wasn't going to ruin this trip for him. Peter wasn't going to let him.

If there was any time to prove he could stand up to his bully, it was now.

 

“Flash, leave us alone,” he shot up from his chair, glaring at the taller boy.

 

“And why would I do that, Parker?”

 

“Just leave us alone,” he repeated with a pout. “I mean, unless you  _ wanna _ hang out with us…?”

 

“W-what?! No!” Flash backed away in disgust. “Why would I want to sit with losers like you?”

 

“Exactly,” Peter remarked, “So just leave us alone instead,  _ Eugene _ .”

 

Flash’s face turned a deep shade of red.

 

“I-- I-I…” he sputtered.

 

Peter smirked at him. “Or I can always call...” he subtly gestured towards Michelle who was already smirking back, ready to scare him off.

To their surprise, Flash backed off.

 

“Bye!” Ned waved as he scrambled away in embarrassment.

 

He then turned to Peter beaming. “Nice one, dude!” he gave him a high-five.

 

Peter had no idea where that sudden surge of confidence came from, but he returned the gesture, grinning widely.

 

“You know, we totally need a better handshake,” Ned pointed out with a grin of his own.

Peter’s face lit up excitedly. “Yeah! Let’s make the best handshake ever!”

 

The two boys eagerly got to work.

Perhaps, this trip wouldn’t be so bad after all…

  
  
  


The drive to Washington D.C. lasted around four hours. And when they arrived, Peter was glad to finally get off the bus. He didn't think he could sit still much longer. 

 

The National Air and Space Museum was a lot bigger than Peter expected.

Mr Harrington led them to the main entrance where a tour guide was waiting for them. 

 

The tour guide introduced himself as Sander. The students gathered around him to receive their tickets— Peter and Ned included— before each being allowed to enter.

 

Once they were all inside, Sander began showing them around. The class looked around, fascinated by the airplanes and jets that were attached to the ceiling. 

 

Sander stopped by the exhibits, reciting the rehearsed description for each one. Sometimes he added his own commentary and anecdotes to keep it interesting. He was dealing with children after all.

 

Afterwards, he would give the students a couple of minutes to roam around and explore each floor.

 

“Your ten minutes starts…. now!” Sander announced, releasing them with a grin.

 

Peter and Ned eagerly set off to explore, not wanting to miss a single detail.

The young Stark couldn't help but marvel at all the awesome technology. He examined all the airplanes and spacecrafts with curiosity gleaming in his bright brown eyes.

 

They were nowhere near as advanced as his father’s tech, but he still found it very impressive.

 

“Look at this, Ned!” Peter tugged at his arm excitedly. “It's the Wright Flyer… The first airplane ever!” 

 

“Oh!” Peter exclaimed as his eyes landed on something else. “And this is Armstrong’s suit!” he dragged him towards it before stopping again and saying, “Oh my gosh! Is that the first space shuttle?!”

 

“THIS IS THE COOLEST PLACE EVER!” Ned vibrated with excitement that matched Peter’s.

 

“I know right! It’s insane!” Peter jumped around, starry-eyed.

 

“You’re one to talk,” Ned rolled his eyes.

 

“Huh? Why?”

 

“You’re sooo lucky!” he gushed. “I bet you get to geek out at home  _ all the time _ !”

 

“But it's different!” Peter insisted, dragging the last word out childishly. “This is the  _ first space shuttle _ !”

 

“You know,” Ned prompted, “It’s cool that your dad makes his own “firsts” too.”

 

Peter quirked up a brow. “What do you mean?” he asked.

 

“Like the arc reactor,” he supplied, “The first Iron Man suit! And a bunch of other stu--”

 

“Yeah…” Peter hummed sadly. “I mean he  _ is _ Tony Stark…”

 

“That’s not what I meant!” Ned frowned. “I was  _ gonna say _ that I can't wait until  _ you _ start to make your own firsts too!” he smiled proudly.

 

“But they'll never be as good as dad’s…” Peter let out a sad sigh.

 

“I’m sure they’ll be!” Ned slung an arm around his friend’s shoulder supportively. “And even if they  _ aren't _ , I'm sure your dad's excited too,” he continued. “As long as you're happy, he's happy, right?”

 

Peter hadn't really thought of it that way.

 

He always assumed that his dad expected him to inherit Stark industries. He’d been pretty excited about it too. Though, now that he thought about it, Tony never looked at him as the company’s heir. He never pressured him that way. The decision to run it was always  _ Peter’s _ to make… 

 

And that didn’t make his father like Howard at all...

 

“A-are you okay…?” Ned’s voice brought him back from his thoughts. 

 

Peter realized he had been crying again. 

“Y-yeah… Thanks Ned,” he said, wiping the wetness off his lashes.

 

“I'm just telling you the truth,” Ned raised her hands nonchalantly. “Who knows, maybe  _ you'll _ invent the first time machine?” he shrugged.

 

Peter laughed. “I don't know about  _ that…  _ buuuut,” he paused to bring something out of his bag.

 

It was a pair of glasses. 

 

“I  _ did  _ help invent these cool glasses with my dad,” he showed them off proudly. “The lenses have a camera and an on-screen projection thing and everything!”

 

Ned’s jaw dropped.

 

“That's. So. AWESOME!” he exclaimed, barely able to contain the excitement.

 

Peter beamed.

 

“I brought them with me to vlog the trip,” he admitted sheepishly. “Wanna join me?”

 

“Duh!” Ned rolled his eyes. “Put them on already! Put them on!”

 

“Okay, okay hang on!” Peter laughed in amusement before putting the glasses on. They rested comfortably on the bridge of his nose.

 

He blinked twice to signal the start of the camera’s recording.

 

“I'm on a field trip! An actual field trip!”

  
  


Peter spent the rest of the tour vlogging.

He and Ned took turns with the glasses.

 

Once their time to explore was up, Sander brought them back down to the entrance and led the class outside.

 

“Okay, so our last stop before the lunch break is the Observatory,” he announced before pointing at the dome-shaped structured in front of them.

 

As they walked towards the Observatory, Peter decided to remove his glasses. It would be easier to use the telescopes without them getting in the way.

 

Besides, he didn't need  _ another _ reason for Flash to start bullying him. 

 

So he carefully folded his glasses and placed them back into his bag before catching up with the group.

 

Once they entered the Observatory, Peter’s eyes lit up with wonder.

He loved space.

 

And it wasn’t even because of Star Wars… Okay, it wasn’t  _ completely  _ that….

Their universe was just so vast. He had always dreamed of what it was like beyond the stars. He wondered if aliens were real. He wondered how it felt to float without gravity.

 

In other words, Peter just  _ really _ wanted to go to space. Maybe his dad would find a way to take him there someday…

 

“Alright, kids. Listen up,” Sander caught the class’ attention. “I'm giving you thirty minutes to use the Observatory,” he announced. “Also, there is a strict no cellphones rule inside, so your teacher will be collecting all your phones.”

 

The class let out a collective groan.

One by one, each student brought their phones out and handed it over to Mr Harrington.

 

Peter fished his phone out of his pocket.

 

He paused to stare at it in his palm. He bit his lip, hesitant to let it go. It felt like one of those films that he would watch with his dad where the main hero was about to do something incredibly dumb.

 

However, before he could second-guess his decision, the phone was gone. Mr. Harrington had collected it and told him he was free to explore the Observatory.

 

Peter fidgeted anxiously with his now empty hand— his bare wrist...

 

_ You are gonna enjoy the rest of this trip _ , he repeated inwardly, like a mantra.  _ You don't need to worry about a call from Aunt May… _ he reassured himself.

 

_ Or dad… _

 

If something urgent came up, Mr Harrington would inform him anyway, right?

 

So Peter put on a smile and dismissed the lingering feeling…

 

The young boy found a telescope for himself, and rushed up to it before anyone else could.

That would surely take his mind off of things.

 

He could spend  _ hours _ on that telescope.

 

In fact, he was  _ so _ invested in it that he barely even noticed that Sander had already gathered the rest of the class to have their lunch break in the cafeteria.

 

When the room got eerily quiet, Peter could sense that something was off. If he were some superhero in a comic book, this would be the perfect time for his fight-or-flight reflexes to kick in.

 

He could hear someone approach him from behind. His first instinct was to run, but his feet remained planted on the ground.

 

_ Maybe it's just a security guard wondering why I'm still here _ , Peter tried to calm himself down.  _ What if he arrests me?! _

  
  


The sound of footsteps grew louder as the figure’s shadow drew nearer.

 

_ Just calm down, Peter. Just tell him the truth and coopera-- _

 

Suddenly, he felt a large hand weigh down on his shoulder.

 

“AHHH! Please don't arrest me!” he yelped in surprise, turning to face the figure.

 

It was just the bus driver.

 

“Oh,” Peter let out a sigh of relief. His shoulders instantly relaxed. 

 

False alarm.

 

“H-Hey Mr Bus Driver,” he greeted sheepishly.

 

The young boy slowly scanned his surroundings. The Observatory was empty now. His classmates were gone.

 

“Where is everyone?” he thought aloud.

 

“They're all waiting for you outside,” the driver said. “Mr Harrington asked me to come fetch you.”

 

“Oh okay,” Peter nodded. “Let's go! I'm starving!”

 

He began walking towards the door when suddenly he felt something jerk him backwards.

 

“Hey!” Peter turned around. The bus driver had a firm grip on his bag. “W-what are you--?” 

 

He was cut off by the man’s other hand on his mouth. Peter struggled to break free from his grasp, but he had him in a choke hold. 

 

“Mr. Harrington!” Peter cried out, but it was no use. His voice was muffled.

 

The frantic child kicked and thrashed about, but as he continued, he noticed that his movements were getting slower.

 

_ Chloroform _ , his eyes widened in realization.

 

He needed to get out of there, and  _ fast _ .

 

“Ned! Sander!” he attempted in vain.

 

Slowly, he could feel his vision blurring. His legs eventually gave out. The world leaned sideways as his head hit the cold hard floor.

 

He was on the ground.

 

Peter fought to keep his eyes open, desperate for someone—  _ anyone _ — to intervene.

 

His eyes felt heavy.

 

The last thing he remembered thinking was,  _ Daddy… Help me. _

 

And everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof I'm sorry for the cliffhanger and sadness... If you like the story so far you can hit me up on my Tumblr @whereeverythingisnew. As usual, comments are always appreciated!! I'm hoping to update next week! (Or maybe this week, who knows?)
> 
> PS: Sander, the tour guide, is one of my OCs in case anyone was wondering or confused!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told y'all I'd be back with an update soon!!
> 
> PS: For all of you who have been following this fic since the start... Just wanted to let you know that I decided to age Peter up a little to a ten-year old to match his personality in the story more!! So I edited that portion of the first chapter. I've thought long and hard about this decision, but I think it's the best solution and compromise to some problems I've been having regarding Peter's age... Hope you guys don't mind!! 
> 
> Other than that, nothing else has changed, so just carry on reading and enjoy the chapter!! =)

On a regular day, Tony Stark never bothered to attend meetings. He hated them. They were boring, tedious, and routine.

 

But today, he needed a distraction.

 

Although, no matter how much he tried to pay attention, Tony  _ was _ distracted— not by the meeting, but because of Peter. 

What good was a meeting if it failed to keep him distracted?

Somehow, his mind always ended up falling back to thoughts of his son.

  
  


_ How was his field trip going? _

 

_ Was he still angry? _

 

_ Did he still hate him? _

 

And most importantly,  _ was he okay….? _

  
  


“Stark,” a voice snapped him back into the boardroom. 

All eyes were on him, as if they were expecting him to do something.

 

“Yes?” Tony looked around, clueless.

 

That clearly wasn't the right answer.

 

“No?” he tried again.

 

The man sitting opposite of him cleared his throat again, gesturing impatiently to the phone on the table.

 

**_Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!_ **

 

“Oh,” Tony realized.

His phone was buzzing. He turned the phone around in his palm as the other board members waited for him expectantly. 

 

“ _ May Parker _ ,” the phone screen flashed.

 

_ Must be important _ , Tony concluded to himself. 

 

But he couldn't answer it while he was surrounded by strangers. The call was likely about Peter, and Tony wasn't risking it.

 

“I have to take this,” Tony excused himself from the meeting.

 

Just as he was about to rise from his seat, a man stopped him. “Mr. Stark, you can't just walk away from this meeting,” he reprimanded. “You have a responsibility to this company.”

 

_ I have a bigger responsibility to my son _ , he bit back his tongue.

 

“Look, as much as I  _ love _ our little book club sessions,” his voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

“Stark, sit d--”

 

Tony shot him a pointed glare. He wasn't having any of this today.

“I said,  _ I have to take this _ ,” he stood up from his chair.

All eyes followed Tony Stark as he left the room.

 

Pepper would kill him later…

  
  


Once he was out of earshot, Tony put the phone on his ear. “Hey May,” he greeted anxiously. That woman scared him sometimes.

“Peter probably told you about this morning, huh?” he assumed, letting out a nervous chuckle.

 

“Tony that's n--”

 

“Before you get mad,” Tony cut her off. “I just wanted to tell you that it's my bad. All me. I’m really sorry. I tried to--”

 

“Anthony Stark!” May’s voice blared through the phone’s speakers.

 

Tony immediately stopped rambling.

He let her continue.

 

“T-Tony… I-It's Peter,” May’s voice sounded raspy as if she'd been crying.

 

_ Peter _ .

 

Tony tried to keep his voice from shaking. “What happened?”

 

“P-Peter,” she continued in between sobs. “H-he's missing…”

 

Tony's heart plummeted to his stomach.

 

_ No. No. No. Not my Peter _ .

 

“Mr. Harrington called,” May said, “He told me that they couldn't find hi--”

 

_ Incoming Call. Contact number unknown _ , JARVIS’ voice interrupted the call.

 

_ Would you like to put it on hold, Sir? _

 

Tony had a bad feeling about this. 

But his gut told him it was important.

 

“No,” he said firmly. “Put the caller on.”

  
  


“You've reached Stark,” Tony said. “I'm kind of  _ really busy _ right now. I'll have Ms. Potts call you ba--”

 

“He has your eyes…”

 

There was a beat of silence.

 

Tony’s body tensed. He could feel his own  heart rate speeding up. It hammered against the arc reactor in his chest.

 

“What are you talking ab--?”

 

“It's too bad you might never see them again…” said the caller, sending a shiver down his spine.

 

Without thinking, Tony let out a gasp of realization, “ _ Peter _ …”

 

This man, whoever he was, had Peter.

_ His _ Peter.

Peter wasn't just missing… He had been taken hostage.

 

Once the reality of this situation sunk in, the anger emerged. Rage began to boil up inside him.

 

How  _ dare _ they kidnap his son?!

 

Tony’s knuckles turned white, the phone tightly clenched in his hand.

 

“That's right, Stark… We have your son,” the voice confirmed, as if he could read Tony's thoughts.

 

Tony gritted his teeth. All he saw was red.

 

He didn't even understand how this guy managed to find out Peter was his son!

 

“If I find even a scratch on my boy,  _ I swear on my life  _ you'll wish that you  _ never _ messed with Iron Man,” Tony snarled threateningly.

 

“Tsk tsk Stark…” the caller clicked his tongue in disapproval.

 

Before Tony could give him a piece of his mind, a text notification popped up.

It was from the caller.

 

He tapped on the message icon.

 

His blood ran cold once the message loaded.

 

It was a picture— a picture of an unconscious Peter tied to a chair… and a bomb.

 

“Careful now,” the caller warned, “Wouldn't want my hand to slip, now would we?”

 

Tony was now seething with rage.

 

“Don't touch him,” he spat venomously.

 

“Now, now, Anthony…” the man on the other line placated. “How would the public react if they saw  _ Iron Man  _ moving heaven and earth just to find  _ one little kid _ …?”

 

Tony opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

The caller had a point.

 

He would tear the whole world apart if it meant finding his son.

 

But if he went out gathering a task force of SHIELD agents to find  _ some random kid _ , everyone would know. Everyone would know about Peter.

 

The press would have a field day, the board of directors would monitor him endlessly, and worst of all— other threats, like this caller, would put his son at risk.

 

He needed to be smart about this.

And he needed to be  _ calm _ to think.

 

Tony took a deep breath.

“What do you want?” his voice strained to prevent it from shaking in fury. “Money? A date? Just name the price,” he demanded.

 

Unknown to the caller, Tony was actually stalling.

 

The moment he confirmed that Peter was with him, Tony immediately alerted JARVIS to start tracking the phone’s signal.

 

_ 93% complete _ , the screen flashed.

 

He needed to keep the call going.

 

“An arc reactor,” the caller laid out his terms. “And some weapons you can spare.”

 

Tony stalled, “You know I can't just give out free arc reactors, right?”

 

“But you will for your son.”

 

He huffed dryly. “Yeah, well, you know how it is…” Tony played it off nonchalantly. “So what do you say? Tell me where to meet up, and let's get this show on the road.”

 

The other man howled in laughter. “Do you really think I'll  _ tell _ you?” he asked. “You're supposed to be a genius, right? Figure it out yourself.”

 

_ Phone signal located…  _ JARVIS displayed on the screen.

 

“Gotcha,” Tony replied, with a smirk.

 

“One more condition,” the caller added suddenly. “Don't bring backup or else say goodbye to your kid.  _ I _ may be patient, but  _ time _ isn't as kind…”

 

Tony felt his arc reactor tighten in his chest. It was the sound of a bomb ticking. 

 

He tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

 

“You have 12 hours.”

 

Before Tony could get another word in, the call ended.

 

**_BEEEEP_ **

 

Tony was left alone.

 

The call might have been done, but it wasn't over yet.

 

In fact, this was only the beginning.

 

And for the first time, Tony realized how much the dial tone sounded like a flat line…

  
  


He only hoped it wasn't Peter’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I really enjoyed writing Tony's POV in this one... He's definitely the trickiest character I've ever had to write for, so I hope I did him justice!
> 
> Leave a comment if you like the story so far! I'm really excited to post the next chapter, so stay tuned for that =)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay here's another one!! This is the longest chapter so far, and I really enjoyed writing it for some reason.
> 
> Anyway, some notes before you start... There's mentions of minor panic attacks and bad parenting in this chapter. If that bothers anyone, just let me know, and I'll give you a summary of what happens in this chapter so you don't miss anything important!
> 
> But overall, I hope y'all enjoy it!! =)

_12 hours left._

 

Tony set a timer on his phone.

 

As soon as the caller hung up, Tony was already out of the building and on his way back to Stark Tower.

 

Once he arrived, he rang May’s phone. She deserved to know what happened.

 

Tony surprisingly managed to keep his voice from shaking while debriefing her on the situation. He wasn't about to fall apart on her. 

 

He had half a day to find his son, and he _wasn't_ going to waste it on his own self-pity.

 

“How could this have happened?!” May was frantic. “Didn’t you give Peter a super fancy high-tech watch?”

 

Tony’s throat went dry suddenly. If May were physically there, he wouldn’t have the gall to look her in the eye… He fixed his gaze on the floor and said, “Peter took it off…”

 

“And you just let him?”

 

“I mean I-- He was mad and well-- I didn’t want to but-- I know I shouldn’t have… And I uh…” he stopped rambling and let out a defeated sigh. “Yeah I did…”

 

There was an uncomfortable silence.

“I get why you did it…” May said suddenly, to Tony’s surprise. “But I still expect frequent updates on the situation, Stark.”

 

“Will do, May…” Tony all but saluted. 

 

“And I'm going to have a word with Mr. Harrington about this,” May told him angrily.

 

“Make sure to give him a little something from me too.”

 

“I will,” she replied firmly.

 

Another awkward silence... 

 

“Parenting isn’t so easy, is it?” May tried to lighten the mood.

 

“Tell me about it!” Tony huffed in acknowledgement. “Don’t see why _you’re_ complaining though… You’re a natural!” he added.

That got a small laugh out of May.

 

Then, suddenly, her voice softened. 

  


 “Tony…” she prompted.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Find him… Bring him home...” she sighed sadly. “Please.”

 

Tony's face fixed with resolve.

“You know I won't come back until I do,” he promised.

 

May hummed in approval, and hung up the phone.

  


Tony didn’t skip a beat. “JARVIS, update me on Peter's location,” he said.

 

“He has not left Washington D.C.,” JARVIS informed. “These are his coordinates, Sir.”

 

On cue, Tony's phone lit up with the exact location of his son. An abandoned warehouse in D.C.

 

Why was it _always_ an abandoned warehouse? Kidnappers made things too obvious…

 

“Alright, J,” Tony replied, “Get the suit ready. We're going to D.C,” he prompted, already preparing to leave.

 

However, JARVIS’ voice stopped him.

“Mr. Stark,” he said, “Might I remind you that once people see the Iron Man suit, word _will_ spread.”

 

Tony cursed under his breath.

 

JARVIS was right. The suit would not only attract the press, it could put Peter in an even worse situation.

This was a stealth mission.

He needed to go unarmed and _alone_ so that Peter wouldn't have to deal with the aftermath...

  


“Fine,” Tony resolved, “Schedule my plane for a flight to D.C.”

 

“Affirmative, Sir.”

 

While waiting for the flight details, Tony went to his lab. He began packing everything he could possibly need.

 

That included his suit…

 

Just because he wasn't _wearing_ it to find Peter didn't mean he wasn't going to unleash his rage on the hostiles afterwards.

 

“JARVIS,” Tony called out. It had been thirty minutes already. “What's taking so long?”

 

Every second he wasted in New York was a tick of that bomb.

 

“Apologies, Mr. Stark,” JARVIS replied, “It appears that your pilot is currently on leave.”

 

“Seriously?!” Tony exasperated. “Get him here ASAP,” he demanded.

 

“No can do, Sir. He is on vacation with his family in Hawaii.”

 

Tony groaned. “What's the use of having a private jet if I can't even--” he cut himself off with a sigh. “You know what, it's fine. Everything's fine. I'm totally fine.”

 

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “What about outgoing flights to D.C.?” 

 

“The next flight is scheduled to leave at…” JARVIS paused to run through his databases. “5:20pm, Sir.”

 

“That's 4 hours from now!” Tony shot up from the chair he'd been sitting on. “I can't wait that long. I need to be there like... _yesterday!_ ”

 

He paced back and forth, trying to think of a solution. But nothing came to mind. If he drove there himself, it would take just as long as waiting for that flight. If he asked Fury for a plane, there would be a lot of paperwork involved. Not to mention the Air Force questioning the purpose of this unplanned departure. If he asked for another pilot… Well, he didn't really _know_ any other pilots in the area.

 

Except for...

 

“Sir, if I may…” JARVIS broke his train of thought. “I know he is less than ideal, but given the tight schedule and current circumstances.”

 

Tony could already tell where this was going. 

 

“Perhaps you should consider calling your fa--”

 

“No, JARVIS,” he cut off instantly.

 

“But, Sir. With all due respect, he may be our only option…” JARVIS tried to reason with him.

 

Tony paused to think about it. JARVIS was right, as always… 

 

He hated it.

But it was his best bet.

 

He would do _anything_ to get Peter back.

 _Anything_.

 

Tony let out a frustrated sigh.

 

“You're right,” he gave in. “Get Howard on the phone.”

  


If it were up to Tony, he would've placed as much distance between him and his father the second he moved out.

 

But Howard insisted on keeping a close eye on the company— which normally, Tony hated. Although, given the current circumstances, for once Tony was grateful that he lived near enough to come at such short notice.

  


Once he was ready, he grabbed his things, and set off to the airstrip.

  


“Traffic in New York is crazy.”

 

Tony didn't even need to turn to know that Howard Stark had finally arrived.

 

“Good. You're here,” Tony said, already heading into the plane. “Let's go.”

 

Howard clicked his tongue. “Is that any way to greet your father?” he shook his head disapprovingly.

 

Tony rolled his eyes.

 

“Come on. Are you flying me to D.C. or not?” he replied impatiently.

 

“Don't take that tone with me, Anthony Stark.” his father reprimanded, as if he were a child.

 

Tony flinched at the tone that he was all too familiar with.

 

“I'm sorry. Thank you for doing this. Let's just go, okay?” he placated, trying to get his stubborn father on the plane already.

 

Howard shook his head disapprovingly.

“Starks don't apologize,” he said before finally hopping into the airplane.

 

Tony let out a deep sigh.

 

He was gonna be in for a _long_ ride.

  


_11 hours left._

  


“What are you doing outside of the pilot’s cabin?!” Tony’s eyes widened in exasperation.

 

They were hundreds of feet in the air, yet Howard still chose to sit down at the plane’s bar to have a drink.

 

 _How typical_ , Tony rolled his eyes to himself.

 

“Relax…” Howard said before taking a swig of beer. “I set it on autopilot…”

 

He tilted the bottle towards his son. “Want some?”

 

Tony shot him an unimpressed look.

“I've stopped drinking,” he said. “Promised Peter I would.”

 

Howard doubled over in laughter, nearly spilling the beer. “ _You_ _?_ I don't buy it.”

 

Tony rolled his eyes.

 

“Whatever,” Howard refilled his glass, “Your loss,” he shrugged before raising it to his lips.

 

But before he could even take a sip, Tony swiped the bottle out of his hand.

 

“ _I'll_ be taking that,” he smirked.

 

“Hey!” Howard protested, lunging for the bottle. His son easily evaded him.

 

“I did _not_ bring you here to get drunk,” Tony scolded as he returned the bottle to the top shelf. “Trust me, that's the _last_ thing I want right now.” 

 

Howard raised his hands in surrender. “Whoa whoa, no need to get all sensitive.”

He clasped a hand on his son's shoulder. “Looks like fatherhood turned you soft.”

 

Tony felt his temper rising— as it _always_ did when he was around his father for too long. He took a calming breath.

 

“It's called _actually caring_ about your son,” he shot back. “Not like _you'd_ know anything about that though…” he gave his father a sideways glare.

 

Howard's face morphed into an ugly frown.

“You ungrateful little-- Why else do you think I'm here?!” he banged his fist on the bar, his mustache twitching with anger. “I'm here to find Peter just as much as you!”

 

Tony let out a cynical laugh. “Humor me.”

 

Howard rose from his seat and towered over his son. For once, Tony wasn't intimidated. If anything, he was more determined to stand his ground.

 

“Listen up,” Howard took a step towards him. “I'm doing this to fix the dumb mistake _you_ started,” he jabbed a finger at Tony's arc reactor. “Because of _you_ , the only heir to Stark Industries is missing. And of course, _I'm_ always the one who has to clean up after you.”

 

Tony couldn't help but roll his eyes for what felt like the millionth time. “Of course…” he began, “It's always about the company.”

 

His father argued, “How dare you?! I'm doing this for my grandson! He's important to--”

 

“Oh just stop talking.”

 

It was about time Tony snapped.

 

“Don't even _pretend_ like you're doing this for Peter,” he hissed. “You don't care about Peter. If you _did_ , you would have been there for him while I was held captive in Afghanistan! Or you wouldn't have tried to separate him from _his father_ as a baby!” Tony argued, his voice seething with anger.

 

It was always the same excuse, and frankly, he was sick of it.

 

Tony glared at his father. “All you care about is your precious company and it's image if Peter gets discovered.”

 

He grimaced as Peter's words echoed in his head and left his mouth. “You only care about your reputation…”

 

There was a beat of tense silence. Howard wasn't pleased.

 

“Well at least I didn't _lose_ the kid,” he accused. “What kind of father doesn't keep track of his own son?” his lips curled into a smug grin.

 

Tony felt a pang of guilt and shrunk back at the insult.

 

Howard continued, “If you sent him to live with _me_ , like I had planned, we wouldn't be in this mess,” he blamed his son. “He'd be famous, successful, and _happy_ . Clearly if he stormed off, he wasn't happy being stuck with _you_ ,” he concluded.

 

That hit Tony. It hit him hard.

 

Howard took Tony's lack of protest as a sign of victory.

 

He smirked, satisfied with his argument, “I'd train him to be the greatest Stark the world has ever seen,” he said before turning to walk away.

 

As he began heading back to the bar, Tony's voice stopped him in his tracks.

 

“You're wrong.”

 

Howard turned back. 

 

Tony’s eyes were still fixated on the floor.

 

“What did you say?”

 

He looked up to glare at his father.

“I said _you're wrong_ , Howard.”

 

Howard scoffed.

 

“Peter already _is_ the greatest Stark. He's a million times better than any of us could ever be,” Tony replied, his heart swelling with pride.

 

Howard rolled his eyes.

 

Sure it was cheesy, but Tony meant every word.

 

“ _I_ may not deserve him, but _he_ deserves to come home,” he continued. “So I suggest that you get back into that pilot’s cabin or else I swear I will pilot this plane to the ground myself.”

 

Howard held his stubborn gaze.

Tony didn't back down either.

 

But they were hundreds of feet in the air, and Howard didn't have a choice. Whether he was doing it for Peter or not, he still agreed to take his son to D.C.

 

Without saying another word, Howard finally turned around and returned to the pilot’s cabin.

  


Tony let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding.

 

Now that he was alone, he let himself collapse onto the nearest chair.

Arguing with his father had been exhausting. Not to mention dealing with a hostage situation on top of all that.

 

Sure, he was Iron Man. He was used to these kinds of situations, but it was all just so overwhelming.

 

Arguing with his son, being compared to his father, losing his son, having to deal with his father.

 

A person could only take so much stress before cracking under the pressure.

 

He hadn't taken any time to relax since he received that call.

And now that he _did_ have the time to catch his breath, the guilt sank in.

 

All the emotions he had so carefully bottled up finally sprang forth.

 

Tony broke into sobs.

 

He had been pushing them down all day.

 

How had it come to this?

Peter was fine just this morning, and suddenly everything came crashing down.

 

Of course _he_ would find a way to screw this up. Only _The Tony Stark_ would end up as bad of a parent as Howard, if not worse.

 

Peter was right.

 

He was no better than Howard was.

 

He let his son down…

  


_Man, I could use a drink…._ he massaged the temples of his head.

If he was already becoming his father, he might as well seal the deal.

 

Tony dragged his feet to the bar where he poured himself a drink.

 

He lazily swirled the beer around in his glass. His dazed eyes followed the liquid as it flowed back and forth through blocks of ice.

 

His life was a mess.

It wasn't the first time…

 

He placed the glass on his lips. He tilted it forward…

But never enough for the alcohol to touch his lips.

 

It just felt wrong.

 

Tony clenched the glass in his hand, his face torn. He just couldn't bring himself to do it— not when Peter wasn't there to stop him. He had no plans of betraying his son twice.

 

He set the glass back on the bar and threw his head backward. A long frustrated sigh escaped his lips.

 

Tony decided to keep himself focused on the mission.

“JARVIS how long until we land?” he asked.

“An hour, sir…”

 

An _hour_?

 

He didn't think he could survive an entire hour on this plane.

 

Peter needed him _now_.

 

Suddenly, the walls felt like they were closing in on him. His head was pounding and his chest tightened. The air in his lungs constricted. Had airplanes always been this high up?

 

He could barely breathe. 

 

 _I need to get some air_ , Tony began to hyperventilate to himself. _I need to get out. I need to find my son. I need to find him now. I-I n-need-- I need—_

 

_I need…._

 

_I… I need… to breathe…_

 

Tony sucked in a shaky breath.

_“Four seconds…”_

 

He held it in.

_“Seven seconds…”_

 

Then he let it out.

_“Eight seconds…”_

 

His short breaths slowly began to normalize. He felt his body relax and his heart rate stabilize.

  


_“See that? It’s just 4, 7, 8… You think you can do that for me, Petey?”_ Tony smiled fondly at the memory.

 

He remembered it like it was only yesterday….

 

_It was Peter’s first trip on an airplane._

_They had just taken off, but the shaky turbulence had scared the child._

 

_“Y-Yeah… I- I think so…” the young Peter sniffled. He followed his father’s breathing pattern._

 

_“There you go. You’re getting it,” Tony cheered on._

 

_Slowly, as he repeated the pattern, Peter began to breathe normally again._

 

_“Wanna look outside now?” the older Stark suggested._

 

_Peter still looked hesitant._

 

_“I promise, you’ll love the view…” Tony sported an encouraging smile. “Just pretend we’re on a rocket ship!”_

_The little kid perked up, jumping eagerly on his seat. “Ooooh rocket ship! I want go space! I want see planets!”_

 

 _Tony laughed to himself. “Sorry kid, you might not see any_ planets _up here, but I_ can _show you a bunch of… um..._ clouds _?” he let him stand on his lap to get a better view of the window._

 

He still remembered how Peter’s jaw dropped once he saw how high up they were from New York. His eyes were the size of planets. He looked completely over the moon.

 

_“Whooooaaaa,” Peter gaped. The awe in his voice was priceless. “The buildings so tiny, the clouds so fluffy!” he exclaimed._

 

_Tony wanted to tell him clouds were actually just wet droplets of water, but he figured he’d let the kid have his fun._

_“That’s right kiddo!” he tried to match his son’s enthusiasm. “I betcha they feel like cotton candy.”_

 

_It was Peter's turn to laugh._

 

_“Silly daddy,” he giggled. “Can't touch clouds! Clouds made of rain. Rain wet!”_

 

_Tony blinked at his son incredulously._

 

 _“Who taught you that?” he asked in genuine shock. Peter was only_ four _._

 

_“You did,” the little boy replied. “When I ask ‘bout rain.”_

 

_“Oh,” Tony mouthed in realization. “I guess I did…”_

_He ruffled his son's hair proudly. “Can't believe I was just outsmarted by a four year old!”_

 

_Peter beamed in delight._

 

_“Can you see Queens from here?” Tony challenged his son, pointing out the window.._

 

_Peter squinted his eyes in search of his home. “I no see Queens!” he pouted. “I no see Aunt May or Happy or Pepper or house! They ants!”_

 

_The older man laughed. “Yup. They do look like ants, don't they?” he hummed._

 

_They spent the rest of the flight gazing at the clouds. Peter asked him all sorts of questions about the sky, and about space, and airplanes._

 

_Tony tried his best to explain them to a four year old— which wasn't too hard considering that Peter was a very quick learner._

 

_Once he had gotten bored of science, he moved on the inevitable question._

_“Are we there yet?” Peter asked._

 

_Tony checked his watch. It had only been an hour since take off._

_“Nope,” he replied, popping the end of the word. “Not yet…”_

 

_Ten minutes later…_

 

_“Are we there yet?”_

 

_“Not quite, kiddo…”_

 

_Another ten minutes…_

 

_“Are we there yet, Daddy?” Peter whined out of boredom._

 

_“Why?” Tony arched a brow. “Sick of your old man already?”_

 

_Peter pouted._

_“I'm bored,” he complained._

 

_Tony huffed in amusement. “Really?” he asked in disbelief. “You're never bored…”_

 

_“Tell me story,” Peter put on his most precious smile. “Pleeeaaaseeee?” he dragged the word out pleadingly._

 

_Tony tried to look away, but no one could resist Peter's puppy dog eyes._

_“Alright, alright. You got me, kid,” he raised his hands in surrender._

 

_He scooped the small child and set him comfortably unto his lap. “Hmmmm let's see….” he scratched his goatee, thinking of a story._

 

_“There was once a--”_

 

_“No!” Peter interrupted him, his arms crossed._

 

_“Why no?” Tony asked. “I haven't even started,” he defended._

 

_“Story start with once upon a time,” he corrected. “That how Aunt May does it.”_

 

_Tony rolled his eyes in good nature._

 

_Then his eyes lit up with an idea._

_“You know what?” he said, “I can do better…” he grinned._

 

_Peter watched him with curiosity sparkling in his eyes._

 

_It was moments like these that Tony knew he didn't deserve him as his son. Yet he'd never felt prouder to be a father._

 

_“A long time ago in a galaxy far far away….”_

  


“Mr Stark,” JARVIS suddenly drew him back from his memories.

 

Tony jerked upwards from his seat in surprise. He must have fallen asleep.

“Y-yeah?” he stammered, still dazed. “Are we there yet?”

 

“We are descending into Washington D.C. as we speak, Sir…” the artificial intelligence replied.

 

Tony nodded resolutely. “Let's get Peter back…”

  


_9 hours and 30 minutes left._

  


“Thanks for the ride,” Tony told his father once they landed.

 

Howard scoffed, “Whatever,” he replied. “Just find the kid already…”

 

Tony ignored him, and turned to walk away.

 

Though, his father's voice stopped him. “Tony,” he called out.

 

Tony stood still. He glanced back.

 

Howard sent him a stern look. “Don't disappoint me.”

 

Tony bit back his tongue to prevent him from saying something he'd regret. 

Instead, he went with, “Yes, sir…”

 

With that, the two Starks finally went their separate ways— much to Tony’s relief.

  


Tony popped the hood of his jacket. He quickly put on a cap to hide his face and kept his head down as he walked through the streets of D.C. He didn't need anyone else on his trail. 

 

The mission was simple: find the warehouse, exchange a replica of his arc reactor, get Peter out, then unleash full force Iron Man rage. 

 

Paparazzi wasn't part of his plan. And he intended to keep it that way.

 

JARVIS was in his earpiece, telling him the directions and which routes were most secluded. 

 

After a series of different turns and streets, Tony stopped.

 

An abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere.

 

“You have arrived at your destination,” JARVIS announced.

 

Tony’s heart rate sped up. For once, he was genuinely scared. He couldn't mess this up— not when _Peter_ was at risk.

 

He took a deep breath, staring at the warehouse door.

 

“Alright,” he clenched the briefcase in his hand. “Let's do this!” his eyes fired with determination.

 

Tony barged into the warehouse.

“Where’s my son?” he demanded, his voice booming.

 

But the only response was his own echo.

Tony’s heart lurched in realization.

 

The warehouse was _empty_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo I may have forgotten to mention that Howard Stark is alive in this AU. Surprise I guess hahaha  
> Did you guys get as annoyed at him as I did while writing it? Not gonna lie though, he was so much fun to write for just because I channeled my own annoyance at him while writing for Tony. Also, did you like the flashback scene?? I personally loved that part! Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for baby Peter hahahaha
> 
> Sorry I'm so excited about the chapter. I don't know why, but personally, it's one of my favorite chapters of this fic!! Soooo if you wanna talk about it hmu up on my Tumblr @whereeverythingisnew! I always appreciate your comments too!
> 
> See you soon for another chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for that cliffhanger hehehe  
> I'm back with another update, so lets get to it!!
> 
> Time to check on Peter... Hope he's okay :(

It was dark.

 

He couldn’t move his arms.

He couldn’t move his legs.

 

_ What happened? _

 

His head was throbbing.

Suddenly, it all came rushing back to him.

 

Peter’s eyes snapped open.

 

_ Where am I? _ was the first thought that came to him.

 

The young Stark scanned his surroundings. He instantly regretted turning his head too quickly. It made the room spin.

 

He tried again, gazing around slower this time.

 

The first thing he noticed was the smell of the ocean. Rays of sunlight seeped through the half-open blinds.

Peter could faintly make out the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

 

That could only mean one thing—he was in a beach cabin.

 

“Good,” a voice startled him from behind, “Someone's finally awake…”

Peter tried to turn to face his captor, but he was tied to a chair.

He struggled against his restraints, but they wouldn’t budge.

 

“Don't bother,” another voice told him. “Wouldn't want to accidentally go boom, would you?”

 

Peter’s body tensed.

There was a bomb strapped to his chair.

 

A wave of questions ran through his brain all at once.

 

_ How much time did he have? How long had it been? Was he going to explode at any minute? _

 

In his state of panic, he was more frantic to escape.

 

He tugged hard on the ropes binding his limbs in hopes of release, but it just left red marks on his skin. 

 

“Let me go!” he cried out in alarm. 

As he thrashed about in his restraints, the two captors finally came into Peter's view. 

 

The first one was a man Peter didn't recognize. He was tall, muscular and looked like he meant business. Peter didn't want to cross him.

 

He decided to name this guy, Goon. He looked the part…

 

The second man however, Peter already knew. It was Mister Bus Driver…

 

_ He doesn't deserve the ‘Mister’ anymore _ , Peter concluded in his head.

 

Bus Driver paced around him like a shark circling his prey.

“Well well well… Look at what the tide washed in…” he sneered.

 

Although the young child was terrified, he swallowed his fear and managed to stammer out, “W-What do you want from me?”

 

“We aren't interested in anything from  _ you _ ,” Goon jabbed a finger at his shoulder.

 

Peter winced slightly.

 

“But we do know  _ someone else  _ who’ll give us what we want…” Bus Driver added. “Isn't that right,  _ Stark _ ?” his lips curled into an evil smirk.

 

An audible gasp escaped Peter's lips. “H-how did you--”

 

“I have my ways,” he shrugged, a cocky grin playing on his lips.

 

Peter frowned. Then he rolled his eyes.

 

“Well, since you're  _ so clever _ ,” the kid sassed. “You should also know my dad is  _ Iron Man _ ,” he beamed proudly.

 

Peter was sure his father would wipe that smug look off Bus Driver’s face.

“And he'll kick your butts then save--” he trailed off, not finishing his thought.

 

Suddenly, he came to a realization.

 

His dad wasn't coming.

 

Why would he?

After all the horrible things Peter said to him, why would he bother?

 

He didn't have Happy. He removed his tracker. He didn't bring his phone. He called his dad Howard.

 

Peter was  _ alone _ .

 

“That's right…” Bus Driver smirked. “Daddy isn't too happy with you now, is he?”

 

Peter couldn't find it in himself to respond, or even to ask how he knew about their fight.

 

“I wouldn't count on him to save you,” Bus Driver looked at him in the eye. “I wouldn't count on him at all,” he glared.

 

Peter’s voice shook, “W-Why are you doing this?” his lower lip trembled. “I just wanna go home,” he tried to reason with his captors.

 

But he was answered with a cynical laugh. “Where?” Bus Driver asked. “Back to that  _ heartless monster _ ?” he spat venomously.

 

Just like that, Peter felt a defensive fire spark in him.

 

“What makes  _ you _ any different?” he shot back, pushing down his fear.

 

“I’m-- uh…”

 

For the first time since he was captured, Bus Driver didn't seem to have a comeback.

 

“You're just a bunch of mean bullies!” Peter glared at the two men. “And daddy will  _ never _ give you what you want!”

 

He probably shouldn't have pushed his luck too far.

Bus Driver snapped out of his speechlessness and sneered at him menacingly.

 

“Well I guess that means he'll just leave you here to explode then…” he said, sending a cold shiver down Peter's spine. “I mean, this is what you wanted,  _ right _ ?”

 

Satisfied with their work, the two men finally walked away, leaving the young boy to his thoughts.

 

Once they were out of sight, Peter’s confidence gave out.

 

He broke into tears. They were almost inaudible, as if he were trying to hold them back. But he couldn't help the whimpers and hiccups that escaped him.

 

His face was now wet from crying, yet he couldn't even wipe off the tears because his arms were bound to the chair.

 

He felt helpless.

Hopeless.

 

After all, he was only a kid... How was he supposed to get out of this alone?

 

Was this how his father felt when he was held hostage in Afghanistan?

 

Probably not.

 

Daddy never got scared. He was Iron Man. He was brave, fearless and strong.

 

He had the suit to protect him.

Meanwhile, Peter had nothing...

 

Of all the days he had to argue with his dad… He couldn't have had worse timing. Typical Parker luck.

 

What was he going to do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor bby somebody save him already T_T
> 
> On a side note, in case you're wondering why he's at a beach, honestly idk... I just wanted it to match the Finding Nemo theme sooooo just roll with it HAHAHA
> 
> Aaaaand now for a little surprise! Since this chapter was super short, I decided to post Chapter 8 along with it! Besides, I couldn't leave y'all with a sad Peter chapter a day after his birthday... That would just be cruel.  
> So go on to the next chapter and let me know what you think!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TADA!! Have a second chapter in a row, courtesy of Peter's Birthday which was just yesterday! =)

“What am I going to do now?!” Tony threw his head back frantically.

 

The warehouse was empty.

The phone was planted there to draw him off course.

It had been a setup.

 

It was a dead end. 

 

He was nowhere closer to finding his son than he had been three hours ago.

 

Tony kicked the wall in frustration. A sharp pain instantly shot up his leg. He spewed out a string of curses in response.

 

_ Great _ , Tony mentally scolded himself,  _ Now my leg hurts... _

 

He decided to stop taking it out on the wall. Instead, he began pacing around in a circle. The nerves were getting to him. He was in over his head.

 

Without the suit and resources he was used to, this rescue mission was a lot more difficult. He couldn't even properly contact the police without risking Peter's identity.

 

He couldn't trust anyone—not even himself…

But right now, he was the only option.

 

So yes, Tony Stark was  _ very _ anxious about his odds. He couldn't sit still— not until Peter was safe in his arms.

 

Though, Tony didn't have a moment to catch his breath, because suddenly he felt something vibrating in his pocket.

 

His phone was ringing.

 

Without even glancing at the caller ID, Tony scrambled to answer it.

 

He had some very strong words he wanted to give this caller.

 

“Who do you think you are to take  _ my son  _ and not even tell me where you're keeping him?!” Tony roared at the caller.

 

“Well that's  _ one way _ to greet your best friend…” a familiar voice answered.

 

That  _ wasn't _ the reply he was expecting.

Nor was it the voice he had been expecting to hear…

 

“R-Rhodey?” Tony asked skeptically.

 

“Nice to know you still remember my voice,” Rhodey confirmed, amusement lacing his tone.

 

Tony let out a dry chuckle, “As if you'd ever let me forget it.”

 

He could hear his best friend laughing from the other line. “Well, seeing as you can barely tie your own shoes without me,” Rhodey reminded him, “I knew I had to fly over…”

 

Tony's face lit up. 

“You're in D.C.?” he asked in disbelief.

 

“Not yet,” Rhodey chuckled lightly. “Had to do an errand in England.”

 

“An errand?” Tony arched a brow unconvinced.

 

He could feel Rhodey rolling his eyes, “A  _ work _ errand, Stark,” he clarified. “I’m already on my way. You could use some backup.”

 

And just like that, Tony felt a heavy burden being lifted from his shoulders. “You have no idea…” 

 

“I'm surprised you didn't call sooner,” his friend said in an accusatory tone. 

 

Tony shrugged. “To be fair, I've been a little…. um…” he paused, trying to find the right words.

 

“Nah, I get it...” Rhodey reassured him. “I can only  _ imagine _ what you've been through today…” he empathized.

 

There was a beat of sad silence.

 

Then Rhodey spoke up again. “Don't worry, Tony…” he reassured. “We won't rest until Peter's safe. You hear me?”

 

Tony hummed. No witty remark, no sassy comeback. He just stood up— a newfound determination igniting within him.

 

He was ready to get to work again.

 

So they got to work.

 

Tony began filling his friend in on the situation at hand.

 

He told him about the argument. He told him about the call. He told him about the false lead, and how he had less than nine hours left.

 

Tony spared no details. It felt so good to vent it all out. Deep down, he always knew he couldn't do this alone.

 

That didn't mean he expressed  _ everything _ though.

He kept all the emotional turmoil bottled up because they would just distract him from the main goal. And he couldn't afford that right now.

He would deal with his dumb emotions later…

 

“So what's the plan?” Tony prompted once he finished his explanation.

 

“Well,” Rhodey replied, “I'm already on my way to D.C., but my flight lands in 8 hours.”

 

Tony bit his lip anxiously. That would mean once Rhodey arrived, they'd only have an hour left to rescue Peter.

 

He swallowed the lump in his throat and just decided to nod. If there were anyone he trusted most, it was Rhodey.

 

“Alright,” he said, “I'll use that time to find Peter's location.”

 

“Actually,” Rhodey remarked, “I’ve already got you covered...”

 

Tony arched a brow. “Go on…” he prompted, intrigued.

 

“I might have to pull a few strings…” his friend continued. “But I think I can gain access to the White House’s CCTV footage of D.C…. You're welcome,” he added smugly.

 

“Yeah, yeah… I'll thank you  _ after _ we find Peter,” Tony rolled his eyes. 

 

If _ we find Peter… _ the back of his mind supplied. 

 

He let out a deep sigh. “Thanks, Rhodey…” His gratitude couldn't be put into words.

 

“We’ll find him,” Rhodey replied, picking up on his best friend’s distress. “But right now, we need to focus on actually  _ finding _ Peter,” he reminded. “What do you have so far?”

 

Tony quickly cleared his throat to prevent himself from getting too emotional.

 

“I can use the kidnapper’s phone to trace his fingerprints,” Tony supplied. “That should at least give us some clue on his motives and identity.”

 

Rhodey hummed in agreement. “You're right. While I find a way to access the footage, you work on that.”

 

“Got it.”

 

“Good. I'll send the footage as soon as I get my hands on it…” Rhodey assured.

 

“Good luck.”

 

As Tony was about to hang up, he heard Rhodey’s voice through the speakers. “Hold up, Tony!” 

 

Tony pressed the phone to his ear once again. “Yeah?”

 

“Don't rescue Peter without me…” he said.

 

Tony huffed in amusement. “Why would I go without you?” he asked innocently.

 

Rhodey let out a loud, “Ha!”

 

“What's  _ that _ supposed to mean?”

 

“It means, I  _ know _ you, Stark…” he continued. “You have the patience and self-control of a  _ child _ .”

 

“I’m hurt Rhodey. I’m hurt you’d think that,” the billionaire frowned at such an accusation. 

But Tony knew he was right…

 

He heard the sound of a deep sigh from the other line. “Just promise you'll wait till I get there, okay?” Rhodey asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

 

“But--”

 

“Please?” he cut off. “You  _ need _ the back up. It's not just another one of those solo Iron Man missions. You have a  _ son  _ on the line.”

 

Again, he was right… 

 

“Don't try to carry this on your own,” Rhodey added. “If not for me, at least swallow that ridiculous ego of yours for  _ Peter _ …”

 

Tony paused for a moment before finally responding with, “Okay fine. I'll wait…” he promised.

 

Rhodey let out a hum of satisfaction.

 

“But,” Tony added, “If you're not here in eight hours, sorry buddy, I'm going alone…”  he said. 

 

“I'll be there in  _ seven _ .”

 

Then, without another word, the call ended.

  
  


_ 9 hours left _

 

Tony Stark set off to gather all he could about the kidnapper. He carefully picked up the phone on the floor and asked JARVIS to scan it for fingerprints.

 

Outside the lab, his AI wasn't designed to read DNA, but if he could find at least a match in the Stark database, Tony would have a lead.

 

“Two matches found, sir,” JARVIS announced after five minutes.

 

“ _ Two _ ?” Tony furrowed his brow, wondering whether he'd heard correctly.

 

“Yes, Mr Stark,” JARVIS confirmed. “It seems that two sets of fingerprints, aside from your own, have been detected.”

 

Tony narrowed his eyes.

This man had an accomplice.

 

“Who are the matches?” he demanded to know. He wanted the names of the two unlucky people who had decided to mess with Tony Stark.

 

“Hugh Arkson and Charles Kane.”

 

Tony gritted his teeth. Those two would regret the moment they laid a finger on his son.

 

“Who are they?” Tony seethed with anger.

 

“They are both former Stark Industries employees who stayed until the weapons department shut down.”

 

“So basically when I became Iron Man…” he concluded.

 

“Yes, Sir.”

 

“But  _ why _ ? Why capture Peter?” Tony asked.

 

What was their motive?

 

“Well, once the weapons sector shut down, they were left without jobs. And I suppose they resent you for it,” JARVIS supplied.

 

Another mistake that was his fault.

 

Tony felt a hint of guilt, but he was still pissed. “Yeah, that doesn't mean they can just take my son,” he huffed.

 

He slung his backpack over his shoulder angrily and slipped his hood on once again. 

 

“Going somewhere, are we, sir?” JARVIS inquired.

 

“Just alert me if Rhodey sends the footage,” he gave a curt reply. “I'm going for a walk.”

 

He needed to let off some steam. 

 

“As you wish, sir,” JARVIS replied as the genius was already out the door.

 

Tony didn't have a certain destination in mind. All he wanted was a breath of fresh air. He let his legs take him around the state unnoticed.

 

But of course, they  _ had _ to take him  _ here _ ...

 

_ The National Air and Space Museum. _

 

Tony let out a resigned sigh, his shoulders slumping. The large Museum loomed over him.

_ Might as well…  _ he gave in.

 

The Museum was closed— probably due to the incident— but Tony slipped in anyway.

 

Despite it being closed, the lights were still on, and offices still seemed to be open. Perhaps it was just closed off to the public. 

 

Tony looked around. He saw planes, spacecrafts, and all sorts of tech that he knew Peter would  _ love _ .

 

“ _ Daddy! Look at that! It's insane! _ ” Tony could almost hear him exclaim. He chuckled to himself.

 

That kid never kept his mouth shut. Yet Tony would give anything to hear it again.

 

“E-Excuse me, Sir,” a voice called out from behind. “You're not allowed to be in here…”

 

Tony whirled around to face them.

 

It was a boy. And by the looks of it, he was no older than a college student.

 

Upon seeing Tony’s face, the person’s eyes widened in shock. “O-Oh! You're Tony Stark!” he stumbled over his words.

 

“Yeah…” Tony tried for a smile. “Sorry. I thought you were open,” he lied.

 

The young man began apologizing profusely. “No, I'm sorry, it  _ does _ look like we're open, doesn't it?”

 

“So why aren't you then?” Tony asked him, as though he didn't already know.

 

Suddenly, the boy's face fell.

“Oh…” his eyes were downcast. “I-- um…” 

 

Something about this person’s sudden shift in mood gave Tony the impression that he  _ knew _ why they had to close.

 

It was as if he were there when it happened… 

 

“There were um… actually a bunch of kids on field trip today,” he began, eyes still glued to the floor. “And well… We lost one of them.”

 

He hesitated— a shameful expression washing over his face. 

 

“Actually…” he bit his lip nervously, “ _ I _ lost one of them.”

 

Tony had to control every tissue and muscle of his face not to react in anger.

Admittedly, he originally came to the museum in the hopes of scolding whoever had lost his kid. 

 

But upon seeing the tour guide’s genuine guilt, Tony’s anger slowly melted.

It was soon replaced by sympathy.

 

He understood the guilt this man felt. He felt it too. It was his fault Peter took off his tracker. It was his fault he was strapped to a bomb. It was his fault.

 

“Sander, was it?” he said, catching sight of the tour guide’s name tag. “Listen… Don't beat yourself up about it. It would've happened either way…”

 

Sander finally looked up to face him. That's when Tony realized the young man had been crying. He felt the strange urge to give him a hug.

 

“D-Did you know the kid?” Sander asked nervously. 

 

Tony paused, going over his next words.

 

“Would you believe me if I said no?” he tried to lighten the mood.

 

It got Sander to laugh, “Not really, sir…” He sent the older man a sympathetic smile, “Cause it seems like he means a lot to you…”

 

Tony snorted. “Anyone ever tell you to mind your own business?”

 

“Sometimes?” Sander shrugged.

Tony rolled his eyes, trying to suppress the smile growing on his face.

 

“It's okay… I won't tell anyone about your son, Mr. Stark,” Sander promised, seeing right through his snark.

 

Tony searched his eyes for any sign that he was deceiving him, but he seemed sincere. So the billionaire lowered his walls. His shoulders visibly relaxed.

 

“Thanks…” he sent Sander a grateful look.

 

“I'm sorry I lost him…” the young man apologized again. “I-- I didn't mean to.”

 

It was Tony's turn to reassure.

“Hey… None of that, okay?” he clasped a hand on his shoulder awkwardly. “I uh… I know how you feel…” he admitted with a shrug. Emotional territory wasn’t his area.

 

Sander’s expression seemed to lighten.

“Thanks…” he smiled.

Suddenly an idea lit up in his eyes.

“Actually,” he said, “I think I can help you find him!” 

 

Before Tony could ask, Sander rushed out.

 

After a few minutes, the tour guide returned with a laptop and USB.

He inserted the hard drive into the port and clicked open one of the files.

 

It seemed to be a video.

 

“Is this surveillance footage of the museum?” Tony asked.

 

“Yeah!” Sander beamed. “I thought it might help you catch them…”

 

Tony watched carefully as the footage played.

 

He saw Peter and his class enter the observatory. He watched as his son slowly became the only one left inside. It took him all his willpower not to throw the laptop across the room the moment Hugh Arkson approached Peter. He watched helplessly as the kidnappers sedated his son and it broke his heart to see Peter desperately cry out for help. Once he was motionless, they carried him out the door as if nothing happened.

 

“Stop there!” Tony told Sander once they reached the parking lot.

 

Sander quickly hit the pause button as instructed.

 

“Zoom into the car.”

 

He did as he was told.

 

“There,” Tony pointed at the car’s plate number flashing on screen.

 

_ WAH 126 _

 

He had another lead.

 

“JARVIS,” he pressed a finger to his earpiece urgently,  “I need you to inform Rho--”

 

“Already on it, Sir,” the AI replied.

 

Tony then turned back to Sander, and cast him a grateful look. “I owe you one.”

 

Sander shook his head. “Don't mention it,” he dismissed. “It’s the least I could do...”

 

Tony nodded.

He quickly got back on his feet and returned to the warehouse.

  
  


The moment he arrived, his phone pinged with an alert. Rhodey had sent him the CCTV footage.

 

_ Perfect timing as usual… _ Tony couldn't help but grin to himself.

 

He set up a temporary workstation inside. It was pretty makeshift, but it would do. His laptop was open along with a map of America spread out on the floor. Now that he had the car’s plate, all he needed to do was trace the kidnapper’s route. 

 

A marker sat between his teeth as Tony filtered which of the many videos he would need. He asked JARVIS to run a scan through each video for the plate WAH 126. Once he had picked out the footage he needed, he began watching them chronologically— starting from the Museum’s parking lot.

 

He uncapped the marker and used it to trace his map. Every turn, every street, every move— Tony took note of it.

 

They weren't getting out of his sight anytime soon.

 

Finally the footage ended. The car’s journey was cut short just as soon as it turned towards--

 

“Delaware?” Tony said out loud as his marker hit a destination.

 

“It does seem that Delaware is their location, Sir,” JARVIS supplied his input.

 

“But what if it's not? What if they just passed that route to go somewhere else?”

 

“I am certain that is not the case.”

 

Tony arched a brow. “How?”

 

“Well,” JARVIS began, “According to databases, the car we've been following was registered in Delaware. Additionally, all hostage activities related to Arkson have occurred in various beaches throughout Delaware.”

 

“This isn't his first offense?” Tony asked, though he wasn't surprised.

 

“No, Sir. There have been other reports of criminal activity related to Arkson and Kane. It's only logical that they would return to Delaware.”

 

“Okay then,” Tony was convinced. “You’re the boss, J… Next stop— Delaware.”

  
  


Without Howard or his plane to fly there, Tony needed to find another ride. 

He headed back to the Museum, hoping that Sander was still there.

 

Fortunately for him, he  _ was _ .

 

“Mr. Stark!” Sander yelped in surprise. “Why are you back? Did you find the kid?” he asked, a hopeful look on his face.

 

Tony shook his head. “Nah, not yet…”

 

Sander’s face fell.

 

“But I could use your help,” the older man added.

 

At this statement, Sander’s eyes lit up again. “Anything, Mr. Stark! You name it!” he happily volunteered.

 

Tony narrowed his eyes. “First of all… The name’s  _ Tony _ ,” he emphasized. “None of that Mr. Stark stuff, okay?”

 

“Got it, Tony.” Sander replied.

Tony nodded appreciatively. “Great. Next order of business… You wouldn't happen to have some sort of car I can use to get to Delaware, would you?”

 

The young man’s face broke into a grin, “You can use my car!” he offered.

 

Tony was taken aback at how eager he was to help. “R-Really?”

 

“Seriously, it's no big deal!” Sander replied, already taking the keys out of his back pocket. He handed them to Tony. “It's the blue one out back.”

 

Tony blinked speechlessly. “Wow… Uh thanks, kid,” he stared at the keys in his palm. “I promise I'll make it up--”

 

Sander shook his head and swatted him away. “What still thanking me for?” he exasperated. “Go save your kid!” he urged, shooing him away.

 

Tony didn't need to be told twice.

  
  


“Yeah, this Sander kid just let me drive his car!” Tony expressed on the phone. “I mean, it's not an _Audi_ , but it'll do…” he joked.

 

“You’d better return it without a scratch, Tony. Not all of us can afford fancy cars…” Rhodey answered on the other line. 

 

“Which is exactly why I’m ordering him a new one as we speak,” the billionaire smirked. “It’ll be there by tomorrow…”

 

He could already sense his best friend rolling his eyes. “ _ Anyway _ ….” Rhodey changed the subject. “I already switched destinations to Delaware, so I'll definitely be there,” he assured.

 

“Wait, are you talking to me while  _ piloting a plane _ Rhodes?” Tony asked in disbelief.

 

“Speak for yourself,” Rhodey scoffed, “Eyes on the road, Stark.”

 

Tony rolled his eyes, “Yeah yeah, I'll see you there,” he dismissed casually before hanging up.

 

Crossing the state border, he drove out of D.C. and zoomed towards Delaware.

He held a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.

_ I'm coming, buddy…  _ Tony thought to himself,  _ Just hold on... _

  
  


_ 6 hours left _

 

Tony finally made it to Delaware. The idea that he was in the same state as his son did wonders to ease his mind. All he needed to do now was find him…

 

On the way there, Tony had already begun searching for potential locations. JARVIS compiled all the previous places that Arkson had used for criminal activity. He had the common pattern of using beach cabins. There were many beaches in Delaware. The state was known for them. Arkson had already made use of five beaches.

 

According to their data, he just recycled each of them in rotation.

It was just a matter of finding the right one...

  
  


At this point, it seemed like he was on a wild goose chase.

 

It had already gotten dark, and he  _ still _ hadn't found Peter's location. He checked all the previous locations and had JARVIS scan each structure, but none of them had his son. That alone took him nearly two hours— especially with all the rush hour traffic.

 

Imagine how long it would take for him to check every other beach in the state.

It wouldn't stop the clock. It would just lessen his time.

 

He needed a new strategy.

 

Tony was slumped. The kidnappers hadn't bothered to call again. He still couldn't call for any extreme backup or use the suit to sweep through the entire state.

 

Tony needed to get the kidnappers to _tell_ _him_ where they were. He needed to lure them out of hiding somehow.

And to do that, he needed to inform  _ them _ that he was in Delaware.

 

So he quickly unlocked his phone and opened his Twitter account.

 

_ I hope these bastards are online _ , Tony gritted his teeth.

 

His fingers began to type…

 

_ “Planning trip to Delaware. Any beach suggestions?” _

 

There.

 

Subtle, but direct to the point.

 

His finger hovered hesitantly above the “post” button.

 

Would it be too risky?

Would they run the second he let them know he was on to them?

 

But they've always known.

Without him eventually getting to them, they wouldn't get their bargain. And wasn't that the whole point of all this?

 

Tony Stark sucked in a deep breath.

 

_ Tweet! _

 

He let out a long sigh.

_ No turning back now…  _ he thought.

 

All he could do was wait and hope they got the message. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I realized that this chapter is a lot longer than I remember it to be hahaha  
> I've got a lot of notes for this chapter! First of all, we're halfway through the story!! If you've read this far, I just wanna thank you for the support! It means a lot to me =)
> 
> Second, Rhodey has finally entered the scene, so you can look forward to future chapters with him! It's my first time writing for this character, so go easy on me hehe I hope I did okay...
> 
> Third, as I mentioned before, Sander is one of my OC's, and I love him so much that I kinda gave him more of a role in this chapter. Sorry not sorry! Feel free to ask me more about him! =)
> 
> Lastly, I don't live in America, so I don't actually know a thing about Delaware. It was just the nearest state to D.C. with beaches and stuff, so I just went with it. I tried my best to research, so hopefully it still makes sense.
> 
> In the end this is all for fun, and I just hope y'all are enjoying it so far!! Comments are always appreciated!! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before y'all start reading, I just wanted to let you know that my school break just ended, so I'm gonna be a lot busier soon. That doesn't mean I'll stop updating though!! It just means that chapters might not be as frequent. I'll still try to post once a week, but in case I get delayed, you may get some chapters two at a time hehe
> 
> We'll see though... I mean we're halfway through anyway, and there's no way I'm stopping when we're so close!  
> So let's get back to the story!!

_4 hours left._

 

All Peter could do was wait for his father and hope that he was even looking.

 

The sky had been his only source of time.

 _That_ , and of course, the bomb strapped to his chair…

 

But it was already dark outside. The air was cool, and his bottom was numb from sitting.

 

It seemed like he had been waiting for _months_. He knew it was probably just a few hours though.

 

And despite all the waiting, there was still no sign of his dad coming.

 

Peter would've given up hope when suddenly--

 

“Huh,” Goon huffed as he took a phone out of his pocket. He made his way towards Bus Driver and flashed the screen at him. “Looks like Stark made it here after all…”

 

Peter’s face lit up at the mention of his father.

 

“Gotta admit, the man’s more determined than we gave him credit for,” Bus Driver said, impressed. “Won't rest ‘till we return his precious son, will he?”

 

 _Daddy’s here?_ Peter’s eyes widened in disbelief. _He's actually_ looking _for me?_

 

That couldn't be his dad… Could it?

 

Of course it was.

 

In a way, a tiny part of him wasn't surprised. His dad loved him— _that much_ he was sure of. He never failed to tell him that every single day. Sure, his dad wasn't perfect, but Peter could always count on him for anything…

 

What made this situation any different?

 

“So are you gonna reply?” Goon asked Bus Driver, still oblivious to the fact that Peter was eavesdropping.

 

“Nah…” Bus Driver replied nonchalantly. “Let him suffer. He deserves it.”

 

 _Soooo daddy’s here_ , Peter thought to himself, _but he just can't find me..._

 

That only meant one thing.

 

 _I have to help him_ , Peter resolved in his head. _I have to get out of here._

 

For what seemed like the first time that day, Peter felt motivated. 

If his dad was looking for him, he wasn't just going to sit around uselessly. He needed to do something.

 

And he would start by letting his dad know where they were.

 

 _Okay…_ Peter began formulating a plan in his mind. _We're definitely in a beach_.

 

He was at least certain of _that_.

 

 _But where?_ he thought.

 

His mind raced through all possible states. Luckily, he had to memorize them for Geography just last week. 

 

The ride to this beach didn't seem _too_ long. Though, he was unconscious for most of it, so he couldn't really tell.

 

 _It was still sunny when I got here_ , Peter recalled, _That means it only took a few hours._

 

He mentally crossed out all states that weren't within the D.C. area. Then he eliminated all those that weren't near the coast.

 

 _That leaves Maryland and Delaware_ , Peter concluded.

 

As if the universe suddenly switched to his side, Goon called out to his companion, “Can you believe Stark actually followed us to Delaware?”

 

Peter smirked.

 

_Delaware._

 

Now, he just needed to find out which beach he was trapped in. 

Suddenly, an idea came to him– like a light bulb turned on in his brain.

 

 _Maybe those two can help me_ , Peter realized.

 

Without much of a choice, he put on his best spoiled brat face and cried out, “I’M BORED!”

 

The two hostiles suddenly turned towards him in shock. Peter hadn't lashed out the entire night. They seemed surprised he was even capable of doing so.

 

“Be quiet, Stark!” Bus Driver tried to silence him.

 

“But I'm boreeedddd,” he stretched the word out as long as he could. “And hungry, and thirsty, and _bored_!”

 

Goon groaned in frustration. 

“Then go watch TV or something,” he exasperated.

 

“I wanna do my homework!” Peter whined.

 

“Homework?” Goon asked in disbelief. “Wow, you really _are_ Stark’s kid…” he rolled his eyes.

 

“You know what, just do your homework, okay?” Bus Driver told him.

 

“But I can't!” Peter reminded, “I’m tied to a chair!”

 

Bus Driver let out another long groan. “Fine…” he relented. “We'll untie your arms and give you your books if you stop shouting. Deal?”

 

“Deal!” Peter’s expression shifted to delight. He couldn't believe that even worked.

 

Bus Driver released his arms and muttered under his breath, “ _Kids…_ ” he shook his head.

 

“Can I have my books?” Peter asked as Goon retrieved his backpack.

 

Goon looked at Bus Driver as if waiting for instruction. The other man just sighed and flicked his hand in approval.

 

So Goon handed the kid his books.

Science. English. _Geography_.

 

Peter hid the mischievous smile threatening to break through.

 

But as Goon began to close the bag, Peter caught a glimpse of something shiny inside. The light of the cabin was reflecting off some sort of glass object.

 

And suddenly it came crashing back to his memory.

 

“My glasses!” Peter blurted out in the spur of the moment. 

 

Both men raised their brows at the child in confusion.

 

“I-I need my glasses,” he quickly followed up.

 

 _Please don't get suspicious. Please don't get suspicious_ , Peter pleaded like an inner mantra.

 

They exchanged glances.

“Why?”

 

Peter rolled his eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I can't read without them… _duh_ ,” he exaggerated, hoping it would be enough to convince them.

 

Luckily, that seemed to do the trick, because eventually Goon dug into his bag and handed him his glasses.

 

Peter smiled brightly. “Thank you!”

 

“Whatever. Just stop shouting already,” Bus Driver rolled his eyes, oblivious to Peter's plan.

 

To them they had just given him an ordinary pair of glasses.

But to Peter, they had just handed him his key to escape.

 

Now that he had his glasses, he had some homework to do.

Hopefully he'd make the deadline…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know that scene in the movie where Nemo finds out his dad has been searching across the entire ocean, which then motivates him to enter the tank-cleaner thing and proceed with Gill's plan?  
> Yeah... That's basically what this chapter is hehehe
> 
> Also, you know how I said a while ago that I'd consider posting 2 chapters if I ever got too busy?  
> I lied.  
> You're actually getting two chapters RIGHT NOW! So go on ahead to the next one and enjoy!! =)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't wanna keep y'all hanging in case school decides to make me suffer with workload...  
> So here's the next chapter!! Enjoy! I particularly like this one...

It had been more than half an hour since Tony Stark sent out that tweet.

But still no sign of the kidnappers  _ or _ Peter.

 

Tony hated this.

His son was who knows where, while  _ he _ was stuck in Sander’s car waiting helplessly.

 

He felt pathetic.

 

“I should be  _ out there looking  _ for him, Rhodey,” Tony groaned in frustration. “But if people recognize me it ruins the whole point of this  _ stealth _ mission.”

 

“Don't worry. We'll find him,” his best friend reassured from the other line. “Just give it time…”

 

“But we don't  _ have _ time!” Tony snapped.

 

There was a beat of tense silence.

 

Rhodey seemed slightly taken aback by the sudden outburst, but he recomposed himself quickly.

“Hey Tony,” he placated, “I know you've had a rough day, but I'm almost there…”

 

Tony let out a deep sigh and dropped his head into his hands. “Sorry… I- I just…” he trailed off in defeat.

 

“I know,” Rhodey comforted. “I'm sure he misses you too…”

 

Tony doubted that, but he put on a half-hearted smile to get Rhodey off his back about it.

“Thanks, Rhodey…” he managed to reply.

 

“Sit tight, Tony. I'll be there before you know it.”

 

With that, Rhodey was gone, and Tony was alone once again…

  
  


He didn't really know how to “sit tight.”

Even back home, he was always busy tinkering in his lab. It distracted him almost as well as alcohol used to.

 

However, he needed a distraction  _ now _ more than ever. And he didn't have his toys or his lab with him.

 

So instead, Tony brought out his phone like he normally did on a bad day. Out of habit, he swiped the screen and tapped on one of the icons. It opened to an application that he had developed himself...

 

He called it the Home Video Protocol.

 

All the videos from Peter's glasses were automatically sent to him. It was for his own personal documentation— videos he could look back at with a proud smile on his face.

 

He scrolled down to the latest videos, hoping one of them would cheer him up.

He tapped on the first video in the “Not Yet Watched” tab. It was uploaded just last week.

 

Tony smiled fondly. He remembered Peter filming this...

  
  


_ “Dad!” his son called out. _

 

Tony could see himself, busy working on upgrades for his suit.

 

_ “Daddy!” Peter tried again, this time tugging on his shirt to get his attention. _

 

_ Tony watched his past self stop what he was doing just to scoop the little boy up into his arms. “Yes, Petey?” _

 

_ “Say hi to the camera!” Peter said pointing excitedly to his glasses. _

 

_ Video Tony put on his signature smile and winked at the camera. “Hello Future Tony and Peter,” he said. “Do yourselves a favor and go outside once in a while.” _

 

_ Peter piped up, “And play catch in the park!” he added. _

 

_ Tony furrowed his eyes in confusion. “Play catch?” he asked. “You're not a dog, Pete, why would you want to--” _

 

_ “Because all the other kids in my school play catch with their dads!” Peter exclaimed. _

 

_ “I doubt that…” Tony scoffed. He couldn't relate. _

 

_ “We could do it in Central Park!” the kid continued rambling. “And then we can grab some ice cream, and climb a tree, and have a picnic, and--” _

 

_ “Alright alright, kid…” Tony chuckled, placing his son down. “You’ve made your point. Maybe some other time, ‘kay?” he booped him lightly on the nose. _

 

_ Peter beamed. “Promise?” _

 

_ “ _ Promise…” Tony chorused with his past self, a sad smile on his face.

  
  


“Would you like me to play the next video?” JARVIS asked.

 

Tony checked his Twitter.

Still no sign of the kidnappers…

 

He sighed. “Sure… Just keep ’em coming.”

 

“As you wish, Sir,” JARVIS replied. He continued playing the next videos.

 

Tony wasn't really in the mood anymore. He missed his son. He wanted Peter to be  _ here _ — not on some screen.

 

But as soon as the video played, a voice that was unmistakably Peter’s caught his attention.

 

_ “I'm on a field trip! An actual field trip!” he exclaimed. _

 

This caught Tony off guard.

 

_ Field trip? _

 

That could only mean one thing...

Peter had his glasses.

How could he have forgotten that he had packed Peter’s glasses?!

 

And if Peter had his glasses…

 

Maybe things weren't completely hopeless...

 

He kept watching.

 

_ Peter's view shifted to a little boy. _

_ “Ned! We're vlogging!” he focused the camera on his friend. “Say hi to the camera!”  _

 

_ “Ohmygosh this is the coolest thing ever!” Ned gaped at the glasses. “Can I have a turn?!” he pleaded desperately. _

 

Tony could hear Peter laughing off-camera.

 

_ “Sure! We can take turns!” he replied. “These will probably end up going to my dad anyway so--” _

_ “No way! Seriously?!” Ned’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe Tony Stark is gonna watch me geek out about a museum!” _

 

_ “Yeah, let’s do this!” Peter exclaimed.  _

 

_ “On second thought,” Ned’s expression changed, “That’d be totally embarrassing!” he concluded, “I think I’m just gonna sit this one out.” _

 

_ “I mean, I don’t think he really watches these, so you should be fine…” Peter shrugged. _

 

_ “Nope!” Ned shook his head, already rushing off. “Not taking any chances!" _

 

_ “But Ned--” _

 

_ “Maybe next time, Pete! Have fun with your vlog!” he waved, before slipping away to the other exhibits. _

 

_ Peter’s hand covered the camera for a second as he face palmed. “Oh well… Guess I’m doing this myself,” he shrugged. _

 

Tony watched his son film the different exhibits. He went around the museum pointing at all the tech and aircrafts then calling each one “totally insane”.

 

_ “And that’s everything on this floor…” he announced after finally stopping to sit down. _

 

_ Peter let out a deep breath. “Phew! That was tiring…” he panted. _

 

Tony watched as the camera shifted from Peter’s view to it facing Peter himself.

 

Peter had taken the glasses off and filmed himself.

It was the first time Tony saw his son’s face again all day.

 

He was wearing exactly what Tony remembered him to be wearing this morning. A blue Star Wars shirt underneath his favorite hoodie. He was smiling and enjoying his field trip— oblivious to the impending danger.

 

It was hard to believe this happened only a couple of hours ago.

 

What Tony would give to bring him back home safe and sound…

 

_ “Hey dad…”  _

 

“Peter?”

Tony nearly got whiplash as he jerked his head towards the voice.

 

It was just the video.

 

Peter was talking to  _ him _ through the video…

“Yes, Petey?” Tony responded, despite knowing this was all prerecorded.

 

_ “I know you're at work,” his son continued. “And I dunno if you'll see this, but…” he paused. _

_ His eyes screwed shut as he dropped his head in shame. “I'm sorry, daddy…” _

 

Tony stared at the screen with his mouth ajar. Had he heard that correctly?  _ Peter _ was apologizing?

 

_ Peter shifted awkwardly on his seat, his eyes downcast. Something was clearly bothering him. _

 

It broke Tony’s heart to see him beating himself up about their argument.

 

_ “I--I'm so sorry for s-shouting at you,” Peter began to cry. “I-- I just wanted to prove t-that I could do things b-by myself too.” _

 

“Shhhhh…” Tony hushed soothingly. It had become a habit over the years. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes now too.

 

_ “I--I just wanted to make you proud…” Peter said. “I--I'm sorry for calling you H--G-Grandpa… P-Please don't hate me…” _

 

Tony could  _ never _ hate him.

Why was he still apologizing?

 

He had  _ nothing _ to apologize for.

Nothing about this was his fault.

 

Tony wanted nothing more than to wrap him in a big hug and reassure him.

 

_ “Kids! Time’s up!” he recognized Sander’s voice from off-camera. _

 

_ Peter quickly wiped his face to get rid of any signs of crying, and put his glasses back on. _

 

_ “I-I'll see you later dad…” _

 

That was the last thing he said before the video ended.

 

Tony expected another video to continue playing. But nothing showed up. 

 

“Wait,” Tony said, “That's it?!” he exasperated. “I--I still don't know where he is! T-That  _ can't _ be it!” he cried out desperately, searching for more footage.

 

But nothing else appeared.

 

_ No no no no no no,  _ he thought desperately, _ This can’t be happening. Not when I’m  _ so close _. _

_ I need to find him. I need to tell him it's okay. I need to tell him I'm proud of him. He's counting on me. He's all alone. He's-- _

 

**_PING!_ **

 

The sudden sound brought Tony out of his state of panic.

 

He received an alert on his phone.

 

Was it the kidnappers? Were they finally revealing their location?

 

It wasn't them.

 

But Tony's face lit up once he unlocked his phone.

 

This was it.

 

_ “HOME VIDEO PROTOCOL: A new video from Peter has been uploaded to personal database.”  _

 

He had  _ never  _ clicked on a notification so quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo remember when I said I didn't want to leave you all hanging?
> 
> .... Sorry about the cliffhanger hehehe
> 
> I promise I'll update as soon as I can, but for now, that's all I can give you.   
> If you're enjoying the story so far, please let me know! Comments are always appreciated!! Y'all have been incredibly sweet, so I just want to thank you again for making it this far! I hope you have an amazing week ahead, and I'll see you next week with another chapter =)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for that cliffhanger...
> 
> But I'm back as promised with another chapter!! So I won't keep y'all waiting any longer...

“Do you guys wanna review me for my test on Thursday?” Peter asked his captors.

 

They ignored him. They were busy playing Chess.

 

“Ooooh! Can I play?” he tried once again.

 

“Go back to reading your books!” Goon groaned.

“Or better yet, why don't you go back to keeping your mouth shut?” Bus Driver snarled.

 

“But I finished my homework, and I'm still bored!” he whined.

 

It was true. After half an hour, Peter had finished his “homework”.

He got his glasses back, and secretly, he was already filming.

 

An atlas was open on his lap. It showed the map of Delaware with its different cities and attractions. That included a list of all the beaches. He had been memorizing each one, trying to find a way to get his captors to talk.

 

“Stop whining or we'll tie you up again,” Goon warned.

 

Peter pouted. “Fine…” he sighed. “Can I at least play Chess with you?”

 

“No!” both men glared at him.

 

_ Come on _ , Peter urged himself.  _ Just annoy them a little more... _

 

“Can we play something else then?” he suggested. “There's a beach outside, let's build a sandcastle!”

 

Bus Driver barked out laughing, “Nice try. We're not letting you out  _ that  _ easily…” he shook his head.

 

“But I'm never gonna get to visit this beach ever again! I wanna make the most of this trip!” Peter gestured wildly.

 

“Well if you get out of this alive, you can ask your daddy to come take you,” Bus Driver replied with a bored expression. “Are you finished talking yet?”

 

Peter ignored the question. “But how can daddy take me if I don't even know where we are?”

 

“Use your genius brains or something,” Goon said.

 

“Are we still in D.C?” Peter pretended not to know. 

 

“Nope,” Goon replied absent-mindedly.

 

“How about California?”

 

“Ha!” Bus Driver huffed, “Not even close…”

 

Peter could tell they were amused. They didn't suspect a thing. To them, he was just an annoying little kid who wouldn't stop pestering them. He just had to keep them talking.

 

“Um… New Jersey?” he asked again.

 

Goon moved a pawn on the chess board. “Getting warmer…”

 

“Are we in Delaware?” Peter finally asked.

 

“Ding ding ding! We have a winner!” Bus Driver announced with fake enthusiasm.

 

Peter smiled. “Yay! That was fun!”

 

“Yeah whatever,” Bus Driver rolled his eyes. “Will you  _ please  _ stop talking now?”

 

“Nope!” the kid replied, popping the end of the word. “You still haven't told me what beach we're in!” 

 

“As if we'd tell you…” Goon scoffed.

 

Peter put on an innocent smile. “Pleeeaaaseee?” he pleaded. “Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

 

“Cherries don't change anything,” Goon replied. 

 

Peter tried again, this time catering to them, “I'll stop bothering you.”

 

That seemed to do the trick.

 

Bus Driver quirked a brow up. “You will?”

 

“Pinky promise!”

 

He seemed to buy it because eventually Bus Driver rose from his chair.

Peter quickly closed the book on his lap before he could notice.

 

“If we tell you where we are, will you finally shut your mouth?” he glowered at the kid.

 

“Yes! I promise!” Peter nodded profoundly. 

 

The two hostiles exchanged a glance. Bus Driver sighed. “Fine…” he gave in.

Peter pumped his fist. “Yay!”

 

“But if you keep talking,  _ I swear _ , I'll cut your tongue off,” Bus Driver snarled. “Is that clear?”

 

Peter gulped in fear. “Crystal...” he replied.

He hoped this would work.  

 

Bus Driver opened his mouth to tell him their location, but suddenly, his lips curled into a mischievous smirk. “Actually…” he said. “I’ve changed my mind.”

 

_ Oh no _ , Peter thought.  _ Please don’t blow me up yet… _

 

He tried his best to maintain his innocent expression.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You like games, right?” Bus Driver taunted. “Let’s play a game then…”

 

Peter watched the man bring out a piece of paper. After scribbling on it with a marker, he raised it up for everyone else to see.

 

The paper had fourteen blanks on it.

“_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ “

 

“Hangman?” Peter arched a brow. “Sounds fun!” he feigned excitement, hoping it would lighten the mood.

 

“Yeah. You know how it works?” Bus Driver replied.

 

Peter nodded, “Gotta give a bunch of letters. Seven mistakes and I lose.”

 

“Smart kid,” the man said, “But do you think you can do it in seven  _ guesses _ ?” he smirked.

 

“Seven  _ guesses _ ?” the kid repeated. “I can’t do this in seven guesses! There are like  _ fourteen  _ blanks! It’s unfair!” he replied frantically.

 

Bus Driver shrugged in disinterest, “I mean if you’re not gonna play by  _ our _ rules, I guess we’ll just go back to chess,” he began to walk away.

 

“Wait!” Peter called out. “I can do it!”

 

Bus Driver raised a brow, not convinced.

 

“ _ What _ _?_ I like puzzles…” Peter shrugged casually.

It was true. Peter loved a good puzzle. And if he could solve this, the more it would help his dad.

Technically, he didn’t  _ have  _ to. But he wanted to…

 

“Okay then…” Bus Driver chuckled. “Get ready to lose, Stark.”

  
  


_ Alright Peter… You can do this _ , he cheered himself on.

“This’ll be good,” Goon watched them with an amused look on his face.

 

Peter began solving in his head.

The last five blanks obviously spelled B-E-A-C-H. So he didn’t need to waste his guesses on that word. But he knew that starting with vowels was his best bet.

 

“A?” he started.

 

Bus Driver hummed before writing on the paper.

 

“_ _ A _ _ _ _ _ _    _ _ A _ _”

 

_ Yes! _ Peter cheered inwardly.  _ Good first move... _

 

He decided to go for another vowel.

 

“E?”

 

As luck would have it, Bus Driver began writing again.

 

“_ _ A _ _ _ _ E _    _ E A _ _”

 

“Not bad, Stark…” Goon remarked. “Five guesses left.”

 

Would it be smart to try another vowel?

_ It’s worth a shot _ , Peter supposed.

 

“I?” he tested his luck.

 

When Bus Driver began clicking his tongue, he knew that was a bad sign.

“Tsk, tsk, Stark… Surely, you can do better than that,” he condescended.

 

_ Okay _ , Peter shook it off. _ Four more guesses. Make them count…. _

 

He decided to go with a consonant this time.

What were the most common consonants?

 

“S?” he guessed. It was a very common letter.

 

He was right.

“S _ A _ _ _ _ E _    _ E A _ _”

 

_ Nice! _ Peter smiled.  _ What do I have so far?  _ he asked himself.

_ Sa-e Beach…? _

That didn’t seem right.

 

He tried another consonant.

“M?”

 

Wrong.

Two more guesses.

 

“R?”

Correct.

“S _ A _ _ _ _ E R    _ E A _ _”

 

_ Okay so… _ Peter contemplated.  _ Sa-er Beach? _

 

He had  _ one  _ more guess… 

So he scanned through the list of beaches he had memorized earlier.

 

_ Broadkill Beach? _

No.

 

_ Bethany Beach? _

Nah…

 

_ Rehoboth Beach? _

Definitely not.

 

Then suddenly, it all clicked together.

 

“Slaughter Beach?” he guessed, trying to contain his excitement. 

 

Goon and Bus Driver shared a look of utter shock. They stood there with their mouths agape, absolutely astounded by his answer.

 

Bus Driver spoke first, “Congratulations, Stark… I guess I’m not hanging you after all…”

 

“Does that mean I win?” Peter grinned smugly.

 

“Ugh just  _ stop talking _ , little brat!” the man spat venomously.

As he and Goon turned away, a satisfied smile made its way to Peter’s face. His work here was done… All he needed to do now was get out of here.

 

He blinked twice. The video was sent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter is just as Extra and impulsive as his father, and if this chapter didn't convince you, I don't know what will. Seriously. They share one brain cell.
> 
> Anyway, sorry this chapter isn't my best... Again, I don't know much about Delaware, so I just searched for a list of beaches. And the name "Slaughter Beach" sounded very fitting soooo I just went with it hehe
> 
> I'll try to make up for it with the upcoming chapters though! Hopefully it'll be up by this weekend!  
> As usual, your comments are always appreciated!! <3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! I managed to get this one done early! You guys liked the previous chapter more than I expected tbh, and I appreciate that a lot!! So I decided to thank you for the support with an early chapter! Enjoy <3

“Rhodey,” Tony said urgently. “I know where Peter is.”

 

He called his friend the second the video ended.

 

_ 3 hours left _

 

“I gotta hand it to you, Tony,” Rhodey replied. “You raised a smart kid,” he admitted.

 

Tony shook his head, “Nah, that's all May…” he said.

 

Though, a proud smile still managed to etch its way onto his face. Sure, it was a reckless move— annoying the kidnappers. And sure, it was pretty unnecessary, since Tony could have easily tracked the video’s signal.

 

Yet he couldn't be prouder of his son’s courage…  _ His  _ son.

 

Maybe Tony finally managed to do something right for once.

 

“So what's the plan?” Rhodey asked. He quickly added, “And don't even  _ think _ about going alone.”

 

Tony’s hands shot up in surrender. He was honestly afraid of his best friend sometimes. “I won't, I won’t!” 

 

Rhodey seemed satisfied with that answer. “Okay good. I'll see you there,” he said.

 

With that, he hung up the phone.

 

Once Rhodey was gone, Tony Stark let out a resigned sigh.

 

_ Sorry Rhodey _ , he thought, already starting up the car’s engine.  _ I have three hours left, and I'm  _ not _ just sitting around until my kid is blown up into ashes. _

 

He placed his foot on the gas pedal, and--

 

Suddenly, he heard something land on the car’s roof.

 

Tony quickly stepped outside to check it out. His guard was raised. Whatever it was, he was ready for a fight.

 

Once he was out of the car, he went to examine the roof.

Tony grimaced. “That's gonna leave a dent…”

He knew ordering Sander that new car earlier was a good call.

 

He looked around, but there was no sign of whatever landed.

 

_ Weird… _ he thought to himself, confused.

 

After convincing himself it was just an acorn or something, Tony plopped down from the roof and entered the car once again.

 

“I don't remember telling you to go alone, Stark...”

 

Tony’s heart nearly jolted out of his body in shock. There was already someone in the passenger seat.

 

“R-Rhodey!” Tony’s voice cracked, “Geez! What are you trying to do?! Scare me to death?!” he punched him on the shoulder with a scowl.

 

“That's what you get for trying to sneak away alone,” Rhodey crossed his arms.

 

A sheepish grin formed on Tony’s face. “Yeah… My bad…” he scratched the back of his neck guiltily.

 

Rhodey nodded. “Mhm,” he agreed. “Face it. You’ll just get yourself hurt trying to rescue him alone.”

 

“Hey now, I can handle things on my own too, thank you very much,” Tony defended himself.

 

“Oh  _ really _ ?” his friend arched a brow, almost tauntingly. “When’s the last time you actually slept?”

 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Okay I appreciate the sarcasm, but you don't need to monitor my every move. I know I  _ look  _ young, but in case you haven’t noticed, I'm not some kid. I’m an  _ adult _ .”

 

Rhodey opened his mouth to object, but Tony held up a hand to stop him.

 

“Hey hey hey-- Don’t give me that look," Tony frowned. "I know what you're going to say, and  _ yeah _ ,” he admitted, “I may not  _ act _ like one all the time, but geez, a little  _ trust _ would be nice…”

 

Tony waited for Rhodey’s response. Knowing his friend, he probably already had a comeback. 

 

But instead, he just smiled.

 

“Exactly… Now what makes Peter any different?” Rhodey pointed out.

 

Tony didn't know how to respond to that.

Was  _ this _ how Peter felt?

 

“You  _ do _ know that this entire situation could've been avoided if you just gave him a little more freedom. More  _ trust _ .”

 

Tony sighed.

“But I promised myself I’d never let anything happen to him…”

 

Rhodey chuckled to himself. “That’s a weird thing to promise.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

His voice softened, “You can’t  _ never  _ let anything happen to him… Then nothing would  _ ever  _ happen to him.”

 

“I--” Tony tried to form words, but all he could say was, “Point taken...”

 

All this time he'd been going about it the wrong way.

Sheltering Peter from the world to protect him. But by doing so, he was also depriving him of the one thing that Tony himself never got either…

 

A normal childhood.

 

“I'm gonna make this right…” Tony resolved. 

 

They were finally one step ahead.

 

He could already imagine the looks on the kidnappers’ faces when they arrived.

And Tony couldn't help but smirk.

“Checkmate.”

 

* * *

 

“Checkmate,” Arkson made his final move.

Kane groaned.

 

They'd been playing for an hour.

 

“So what do we do about the kid?” he asked. 

 

Arkson took a moment to think.

Then his lips spread into an evil grin.

  
“Stark will be here any minute,” he predicted, “Let's end this with a  _ bang _ ... Shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So idk if y'all picked it up, but this scene is basically The Whale Scene. Like I literally quoted Dory's words through Rhodey... I really love that part, so I couldn't miss the opportunity to incorporate it into the fic! 
> 
> Alsoooo. Sorry this chapter was kinda short. But the next chapter is what I think y'all have been waiting for, so I'm Very Excited to post that. If I continue to pretend my homework doesn't exist, who knows? I may actually post it this weekend... No promises though!! You definitely won't have to wait more than a week for it though.
> 
> But for now, hmu in the comments about what you think so far!! I can't believe we're almost done! <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes.... Chapter lucky number 13.
> 
> I know it's later than I expected to post this, but I can't believe we've come this far... Are y'all ready to save Peter?

It was nearly midnight.

Tony still had more than two hours, but he was feeling pretty good about his odds.

 

He and Rhodey had a plan.

 

“So you'll stay within range until I have visual on Peter,” Tony told his friend. “And you only intervene once he's out of harm’s way… Got it?”

 

“Gotcha,” Rhodey nodded. “Though, you’re gonna have to be a little more specific. What do you mean by _intervene_ exactly?”

 

Tony shrugged. “I dunno… Just go  _pew pew pew_ and give me all that War Machine action, you know?” he demonstrated animatedly with his arms.

 

Rhodey rolled his eyes, “I do _not_ sound like that.”

 

“ _All_ the suits sound the same, Rhodey… Even _I_ sound like that,” Tony laughed. “Don’t take it personally.”

 

“Well, I hate to ruin your fun, but we're here…” his friend pointed out.

 

The car stopped in front of a rocky beach.

In the distance, there were a couple of cabins. Only one of them was isolated from the rest.

 

“I guess that's our cabin…” Tony said. “After you?” he unlocked the car doors.

 

He and Rhodey opened their doors and exited the car.

“Good luck, Tony,” Rhodey said as they clasped hands. “I'll see you on the other side.”

 

With that, his best friend disappeared into the distance.

 

Tony was left alone with only his suitcase at hand.

 

This was it.

 

“Glad you could finally make it, Stark…” said a man who Tony assumed was Kane.

 

Beside him was another man.

Arkson.

His expression was sly as he stepped forward to greet him. “We were starting to think you were a no show,” he shrugged. 

 

Tony rolled his eyes.

 

“ _Especially_ little Peter,” Arkson added. “He doubted you'd show up at all actually…”

 

Those words were like a punch to Tony’s gut. He counted backwards in his head and took a calming breath to recompose himself.

 

“Well, sorry to burst your bubble,” Tony played it off casually. Then his expression shifted to anger.

 

“Okay, enough stalling,” he sized the other man up. “Where's my son?” he demanded.

 

“Uh-uh-uh…” Arkson shook his head, not fazed in the slightest. “Give us the arc reactor first, then we'll bring him out,” he replied.

 

“Actually, I don't think I will,” Tony stood his ground.

He was growing tired of this.

“I came all this way, unarmed, and alone just like you asked. Now it's _your_ turn to hold up your end of the bargain.”

 

“Always so impatient, Stark…” Arkson clicked his tongue in disappointment. “You're forgetting I still have _this_.”

 

From the inside of his jacket’s pocket, he revealed a detonator.

 

Tony felt his heart skip a beat.

 

Arkson’s finger hovered above the button.

 

“So I suggest you remember who's in charge here. Hm?” he smirked as though he was enjoying this very much. And Tony had no doubt that he was.

Kane stepped forward with his hand outstretched. “Give us the suitcase,” he towered over the genius.

 

Weighing it all in his head, Tony was torn.

Even if the arc reactor inside was fake, he didn't want to give away his only source of bargain without Peter. But on the other hand, he couldn't risk them blowing Peter up either.

 

“Well…?” Arkson prompted. “My finger is getting tired…”

 

His finger was now _dangerously_ close to the button.

 

“Alright, okay, _fine,_ ” Tony shot his hands up in surrender. Reluctantly, he handed over the suitcase.

“Here…” he grimaced.

 

Kane gave the item to his boss who was now sporting a satisfied smile.

 

“Yay. You got what you wanted. Now let my son go,” Tony repeated, more firmly this time. “Please,” his voice filled with desperation.

 

Arkson put on a thinking face. He scratched the edge of his chin, pretending to think it over.

“I _would_ buuuuut…” an evil smirk played on his lips as his finger made contact with the detonator button.

 

“ _Oops_.”

 

It all happened so quickly, yet Tony could've sworn everything moved in slow motion.

He stretched his arm forward in a desperate attempt to stop it all.

 

But he wasn't fast enough.

 

**_BOOM!_ **

 

And just like that, Tony’s world stopped.

 

The beach cabin behind Arkson exploded with enough force to send sand flying in all directions.

A cloud of smoke rose into the dark night sky and through it, the cabin was no longer standing.

 

“ _NO_!” Tony cried out, color draining from his face.

 

This couldn't be happening.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

 

A wave of pure unbridled rage washed over him.

He was done playing nice.

 

Tony Stark summoned his suit from the car and was immediately covered in his signature armor.

 

He turned to fire his repulsors at Arkson and Kane, but they were already on the run.

 

Before he could even shoot, a blur of silver swooped in and knocked them both out cold.

 

“Oops,” Rhodey shot the two unconscious men a deadly glare. “My bad,” he snarled, not an ounce of sympathy in his voice.

He brought out two pairs of handcuffs and slapped them on the criminals’ wrists.

 

Now that that was done, Tony turned back to the beach cabin. As the dust settled, nothing was left but rubble and debris.

 

“J-JARVIS… Scan the--”

 

“No signs of life detected.”

 

Tony's heart plummeted down to his stomach.

 

He was too late.

 

“N-No…” his voice broke. “ _Peter_ …”

 

Suddenly, everything was dead silent.

 

Tony sank to his knees. The fight in him lost. _Shattered_.

 

Sobs racked his entire body. Tears poured out of his eyes. He clenched fists of sand, shaking with grief.

 

It seemed like the world had stopped turning— that the world had just ended...

 _Peter_ was his world.

And now he was gone…

 

He didn't know how long he could bear living in a world without his son. Just the mere thought of never seeing Peter’s face, or hearing his laugh, broke Tony's heart.

 

He couldn't even hold his own son's body. It was probably crushed underneath all that debris. Nothing but an exploded pile of ash...

 

Tony let out an agonizing cry of despair.

How could this have happened?

How could he _let_ this happen?

 

He let his son die.

What kind of father did that to his own child?

 

Guilt ate him up from the inside.

 

Peter was dead.

There was nothing he could do about it. No amount of money, technology, or tricks up Tony’s sleeve would change that. Not this time.

 

His worst nightmare had come true, and he had only himself to blame…

 

He had failed.

 

 

Then, suddenly in the distance, the grieving father heard a faint voice call out to him.

“Daddy?”

 

Tony's eyes widened.

It couldn't be…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... am so sorry... 
> 
> Y'all don't deserve that cliffhanger, but I hope you still liked this chapter,,,? Idk if you noticed the subtle Infinity War parallels, but yeah...  
> I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long though!! Next chapter should be up by this weekend! I owe you all that much at least! 
> 
> Love you all hehe <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I'm back this weekend with another chapter!! Sorry again for that cliffhanger, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it! <3

“Ugh, just _stop talking_ little brat!” Bus Driver silenced Peter, after the kid correctly guessed their location.

 

Peter flinched slightly in his chair.

 

“I don't know how you managed to figure that out,” Bus Driver frowned, “But I don't want to hear another word out of you. Understood?” he bent down.

 

Peter avoided his eyes nervously. “Um… Actually…” he squirmed uncomfortably. “What if I need to pee?”

 

Goon sent Bus Driver a look that said, “ _Is this kid serious?_ ”

 

Bus Driver facepalmed and let out an irritated sigh. 

“You have five minutes,” he warned before releasing Peter from his restraints.

 

As the rope loosened, it felt like he was finally free.

But he wasn't out of the woods yet. He still needed to escape.

 

And nine hours had been _more than enough_ time to think of an escape plan.

 

Step one was already underway— get away from the chair.

 

Step two was to get to the bathroom.

 

So Peter stood up, and took a moment to stretch before walking to the bathroom. His joints and bottom were sore from sitting all day.

 

Goon and Bus Driver waited outside for him to do his business as they continued their game of chess. At least they seemed distracted.

 

Peter closed the bathroom door behind him with a soft click. Locked.

 

Once he was inside the bathroom, his eyes flitted about, searching for some kind of exit. The first thing he noticed was the toilet. 

 

If only he could flush himself out into the ocean, but he knew that was impossible,

 

Second, he noticed an air duct high up near the ceiling. If only he had the power to climb up walls…

 

Finally, Peter's eyes landed on--

 

 _A window_ , he noticed. _Perfect!_

 

He went to lift it up, but it wouldn't budge.

It was sealed rather tightly.

 

 _Great_ , he groaned inwardly, _Now what?_

 

He only had a few more minutes to think of a new plan.

There was no other way out… Not unless he used the front door.

But in order to do _that_ , he would need a distraction. A really good one.

 

His eyes scanned the rest of the room, hoping he would find something useful.

 

Quickly, he formulated an escape plan.

 

Light switch. Faucet. Bug Spray. Bucket.

 

Peter filled the bucket with water and tucked the can of bug spray under his arm.

His dad taught him about the different circuits once. The memory was a little fuzzy, but it was his best shot out of here. He crossed his fingers, praying that this would work.

 

 _Please be a series circuit ,_  he hoped repeatedly in his head, _Please be a series circuit._

 

There was only one way to find out.

Peter flung the water at the light switch.

 

He heard a crackle of electricity from within. The lights started to flicker.

 

“W-What's going on?” he could hear Goon from the other side of the door.

 

Suddenly, the lights went out. It was pitch black.

 

 _Gotta get out of here_ , Peter told himself.

 

His glasses instantly adjusted to the absence of light. They were just what he needed. He could see right through the darkness.

 

 _Thanks Daddy_ , he smiled to himself. _Always looking out for me..._

 

Thank goodness his dad packed these glasses.

 

Peter heard a series of footsteps, wandering around the cabin. They seemed disoriented.

“I can't see a thing!” Bus Driver grumbled, cursing as he bumped into furniture.

 

“Where's the bathroom?” Goon asked, also lost in the darkness.

 

Peter heard the footsteps getting closer as Goon slowly approached the door.

But he was ready for it. He was armed with bug spray, prepared to strike. 

 

The man stopped directly outside the bathroom, trying to feel for the doorknob. “I--I think I found it…” he announced with uncertainty.

The young child took this as an opportunity. He flung the door open with all his might, hitting Goon square in the face.

 

Peter saw Bus Driver rush toward the loud sound.

“Come here you little rat!” he hissed, reaching outwards to the nothing beside him.

Peter mischievously shook the can of bug spray and sprayed it at Bus Driver’s eyes. The man howled in pain.

 

 _This is fun!_ Peter admitted.

He felt like that kid from Home Alone.

 

With both captors distracted, Peter made his way towards the door.

He was so close, he could almost taste the freedom.

But as he took another step, there was a sudden creak in the floorboard.

 

 _Dumb floorboard_.

 

“There!” Goon pointed towards the noise.

Peter instantly stopped in his tracks.

 

There was a tense silence.

 

He held his breath, careful not to make a sound.

 

From the other side of the room, Goon cocked his gun, and aimed blindly in the dark.

“You idiot!” Bus Driver scolded him. “Don't shoot!”

 

“I'm trying to shoot the kid!”

 

“But what if you shoot the _bomb_?!” he exasperated.

 

Goon let out an embarrassed, “Oh…”

 

Bus Driver whacked him on the head. “Split up,” he instructed. “Make sure that kid doesn't leave this cabin.”

 

Peter watched as the two men separated, their hands flailing outwards in case they bumped anything. They looked like a pair of clueless zombies.

 

The young boy stifled to urge to giggle.

 _Not now Peter_ , he scolded himself. _Gotta get to the door first._

 

He crept towards the door.

But suddenly, Goon turned towards his direction. “Come on little Stark. I won't bite,” he sneered.

 

Peter quickly ducked down and hid behind a chair. He moved out of the way just in time.

 

“Gotcha!” Goon exclaimed, reaching out to where Peter had been standing a second ago.

 

But his hands only made contact with the air. He cursed under his breath as Peter watched him walk away.

 

The kid let out a silent sigh of relief.

That was a close call.

 

He needed to get them off his trail.

The door was _right there_! Just a little further and he would make it, but Bus Driver wouldn't leave that area.

 

Peter scanned the floor for something useful. He found his books, sprawled out nearby. So he carefully crawled to them and picked one up.

 

 _Okay you have one shot,_ Peter told himself. _Don't blow it_.

 

He wasn’t the most athletically inclined, but it was now or never.

 

After taking a deep breath, Peter hurled the book as hard as he could to the farthest corner of the cabin.

 

It hit a table, knocking over all the chess pieces to the floor. Both heads whirled towards the sound. 

 

“Get him!” Bus Driver demanded, already rushing to the other side of the room himself.

 

As soon as the doorway was clear, Peter made a run for it.

 

He twisted the knob, opened the door, and fled for his life.

 

The first thing he was met with was a blast of cold beach air.

 

He was out! 

He could barely believe that he managed to escape on his own.

It felt like he had just pulled off some kind of spy mission.

 

He would totally be telling his dad about that later.

 

Peter broke into a run towards the boardwalk. He wasn't waiting for Bus Driver or Goon to catch up to him. There were several other cabins line up by the beach. He knew people would be asleep by this time, but at least one of them would help him hide. _Right_?

 

He sprinted to the nearest house, careful not to trip on the rocky surface. The windows were still lit, so that was a good sign. Once he arrived, he turned to see if anyone had followed him. It didn't seem like anyone had.

 

The kid took a short moment to catch his breath. His tiny legs could only take him so far before wearing out.

He knocked on the cabin door, hoping these people would be kind enough to let him stay for a while.

 

The door swung open to reveal a woman.

“Can I help you?” she greeted. Her brows furrowed as she searched around for the unknown knocker. It was only when Peter spoke up that she looked down. 

 

“Oh!” she yelped in surprise. “I'm sorry, I didn't see you there...”

 

“Um… Hi,” Peter waved nervously, “I'm kind of… lost…” he explained, panting.

 

“Oh you poor thing…” she bent down to examine his rope burns.

 

“I'm okay!” Peter insisted politely, “But, do you think I can maybe--?”

 

“Say no more, dear,” the woman smiled warmly, “You can stay here for the night,” she led him inside.

 

Peter cast a grateful smile. “Thank you ma'am.”

 

It didn't take long for Peter to pass out on the sofa. It had been a _long_ day…

  


However, his nap was cut short when a sudden--

 

**_BOOM!_ **

 

\-- exploded in the distance.

 

Peter shot upwards.

 

“The cabin,” he pieced together.

  


The kind woman who had let him stay seemed to be unfazed by the sudden explosion. She remained asleep in her room.

 

But Peter needed to leave. Now.

 

So he quickly found a pen and paper, then scribbled a short “thank you” note. He placed it underneath a flower vase before racing towards the cloud of smoke.

 

Once he arrived at the scene, he gasped in horror at the sight before him.

The cabin was gone– burnt to a crisp.

 

And if he hadn't escaped, that would be his fate too.

 

Peter tried to swallow down that thought.

 

His eyes then caught sight of three familiar faces.

 

Two of them were unconscious on the ground. Bus Driver and Goon, he recognized.

 

The other was a man in a silver suit. Peter's face lit up as he saw that it was his Uncle Rhodey.

 

He opened his mouth to call out to him, but suddenly a loud cry echoed throughout the beach.

 

Peter slowly turned to find a man hopelessly on his knees. He couldn't make out a face because the man's back was turned.

But Peter would recognize that armor anywhere...

 

“Daddy?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that that's not technically how circuits work, but just roll with it...  
> Btw did you catch those subtle references while Peter was trying to escape? I had a blast writing this chapter! HAHAHAHA I'm so proud of this little genius =)
> 
> Okaaaay, so I know this chapter isn't the reunion you were all expecting yet... And I'm basically leaving you with the exact same cliffhanger... Buuuuut I promise you that the next chapter is what you've been waiting for since like Chapter 3!! I just need to make some last-minute edits so that its perfect for y'all. And you won't even have to wait that long!!
> 
> It'll be out by tomorrow!! <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY THIS IS IT!! LAST CHAPTER HERE WE GO!! HAVE FUN <3
> 
> Oh and just in case you want some mood music... I highly suggest you listen to either/all of the following:  
> \- You'll Be In My Heart (the piano cover by Ronald Emery) --> I know it isn't from Finding Nemo, but listened to this endlessly on loop while writing this chapter lol  
> \- Finding Nemo (from the Finding Nemo OST)  
> \- Nemo Egg Main Title (also from the Finding Nemo OST)

Tony whipped his head around instantly.

He'd recognize that voice anywhere.

 

“P-Peter?” his voice cracked, hoarse from crying.

 

Through watery eyes, he saw his son standing before him, breathing and  _ alive _ .

Peter was alive.

He couldn't believe it.

 

Tony knew for sure it was some kind of hallucination. Was his mind was playing tricks on him?

 

All that doubt instantly vanished the moment Peter came crashing into his arms.

“Daddy!” he cried out, tears twinkling in his eyes.

 

The sudden force of impact nearly knocked Tony over.

He stayed still for a while, frozen. This couldn't be real.

He looked down at his son, and at the mere sight of him, his body relaxed. 

 

Tony burst into a mix of laughter and sobs.

“Peter!” he cried out, overcome with emotion. “You're okay!”

He protectively wrapped his arms around the child.

 

They hugged fiercely, both father and son reunited at last.

 

Tony held him close, as though he were afraid his son would disappear again.

 

In his arms, Peter felt so real, so tangible, so  _ alive _ . And he would keep it that way as long as he was breathing.

 

Peter looked up at his father with tears brimming his eyes. “You're not Howard…” he promised.

 

“I know… It's okay. Everything's okay now...”

 

Tony couldn't imagine what the kid had just gone through. Physically, he didn't seem hurt. But he looked so scared, so upset.

Peter buried his head further into his father's shoulder, silently sobbing.

 

Tony tucked a stray curl behind his son's ear. “Hey…” he smiled gently. “What's wrong, buddy?”

 

Peter’s lip trembled before bursting into another wave of tears. “I--I'm so s-sorry, Daddy…” he stammered.

 

“Hey hey hey…” Tony put on his soothing fatherly voice. “It's not your fault, kid,” he reassured, rubbing circles on the child's back.

 

Peter seemed to disagree. He shook his head as more tears streamed down his cheeks.

 

“Y-you were right!” he cried. “I--I can't do it on my own! If I--I listened t-to you, we would be at home and h-happy…”

 

Tony tried to object, but Peter kept going,

 

“B-But then I  _ didn't _ listen because I wanted to p-prove everyone wrong.”

 

“Oh Petey…” his father’s expression was soft— softer than he'd ever seen.

“You know, you don't need to prove  _ anyone _ wrong,” he reassured. “And you  _ definitely  _ don’t need to prove anything to  _ me _ …”

 

“I--I know… But…”

 

Peter bit his lip hesitantly.

He peered up at his dad, afraid to continue. However, Tony's understanding gaze prompted him to keep going. Peter could trust him.

 

“T-There’s this kid at school…” he began. “H-His name’s Flash.”

 

_ Flash _ .

There was a flash of anger in Tony’s eyes.

He would definitely take note of that name.

 

“H-he’s a big b-bully who teases me everyday,” his son continued. “About m-my watch and Happy, a-and won't stop calling me a helpless baby…” he finally confessed.

 

Tony felt the anger boiling inside of him. First, Arkson and Kane. Now  _ this _ ?

 

Would people ever stop trying to hurt his pure and innocent child? Peter deserved so much better than this cruel world.

 

For a moment, Tony had half a mind to blast that bully with his suit. However, he managed to keep his facial expression in check. Right now, Peter needed him to be his  _ dad _ , not Iron Man.

 

Peter let out a soft whimper, “I--I didn't tell you b-because I didn't want you to know that I-- I…” there was a short pause, “I let you down…”

 

It absolutely broke Tony's heart to hear that.

 

The child continued to sob in his arms. Tony stroked his hair repeatedly, “Shhhh…” he soothed, “Don’t say that, Peter… If anything,  _ I  _ let  _ you _ down.”

 

It was true.

 

“I should have been there for you, or at least  _ known  _ something was bothering you,” he said, disappointed in himself for not picking it up sooner. 

 

“B-But I wanna handle it all by myself…” Peter paused before saying, “Like you…”

 

“Oh, Petey…” Tony shook his head. “I'm  _ already _  proud of you…”

He took his son’s hands in his and said, "Never doubt that."

 

There was a beat of silence.

 

Tony took it all in, and Peter let it sink in.

A short wordless exchange.

 

But they both understood.

 

_ “I'm sorry.” _

 

_ “Me too.” _

 

Then, Tony’s face softened in a way that was somehow more tender than the last.

 

He beckoned his son closer with a tilt of his head.

Peter climbed on to his lap— like he always did on a bad day— and settled himself comfortably on it.

 

Tony ruffled the kid's hair, and sighed.

 

“Wanna know something, kid?” he prompted.

 

Peter looked up at him, and suddenly, all Tony saw was his little boy. The boy who was barely four when they had met. The boy he had grown to love and care for. The boy that he'd almost lost. The boy he had sworn to protect.

 

His  _ son _ .

 

“You don't have to grow up in a hurry…” his voice was gentle. “There'll be plenty of time for that in the future… Trust me,” he winked playfully.

 

A soft giggle escaped the young child.

 

Tony smiled too, and his eyes filled with adoration.

 

“Listen,” he placed an arm on Peter’s shoulder. “I know I haven't exactly been giving you enough freedom to grow on your own either.”

 

The little boy gave him a look that said, “ _ You think? ” _

 

“And you'll make your own mistakes, but…” Tony trailed off guiltily.

 

“But you gotta let me make them too, daddy,” Peter finished for him.

 

Tony nodded. “Yeah, I know... You were right," he admitted. “I was too overprotective… And look where  _ that  _ got us.”

 

There was another pause.

 

“I'm sorry, Petey…” Tony finally said aloud. “I-- I really am.”

 

“S’okay daddy…” Peter reassured him with a smile. “l forgive you.”

 

Slowly, as the words began to sink in, everything else that had happened in the last 24 hours started to sink in too. 

Tony's emotions took hold.

 

His body shook as he tried to fight back tears. “God, Peter…”

He let out a shaky breath. “I was  _ so scared _ …”

 

Peter peered at his dad, a confused expression on his face.

 

“B-but you never get scared…” he blinked at him in shock.

 

Tony shook his head.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more afraid in my  _ entire life _ .”

 

Peter stared at him quizzically. “S-so grown ups get scared too?” he sniffled.

 

“Everyone gets scared, Peter…” 

 

The older Stark let out a deep sigh. “I almost lost you today, Pete…” he swallowed hard, “And  _ nothing _ is worth that...”

 

Peter nestled closer to his father.

“Even all the cheeseburgers in the world?”

 

Tony locked eyes with him. Even after everything, his son’s eyes were still bright with hope and light, reminding him of everything good about this world.

 

So Tony let himself smile. “Even all the cheeseburgers in the world…”

  
  


The two sat there together in silence, sharing this rare moment.

It was peaceful.

Nothing but the sound of waves crashing onto the shore.

 

_ Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth _ .

Tony stroked his son’s hair to the beat.

 

And for once, amidst all the chaos life brought, they could just breathe.

_ Breathe in and out. In and out. In and out. _

  
  


Peter tugged at his dad's arm.

“Hm?” Tony hummed.

 

Before he could register anything, Peter pulled him into a warm hug.

 

“I love you, Daddy,” he smiled in content.

 

It was barely a whisper, but Tony felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders.

A fond smile made its way onto his face. 

 

_ They would be okay… _

 

He planted a kiss on Peter’s forehead, and let himself melt into his son's embrace.

 

“I love you too, son.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awwww we're done!! This chapter was especially tricky to write, so I hope it turned out okay hehe ^_^
> 
> Comments are very much appreciated, as usual! Or you can let me know what you think on my Tumblr @whereeverythingisnew! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the whole thing!!
> 
> Also,,,, Stick around for a little more.... Who knows? I might post an epilogue next week *wink wink* ;)
> 
> But for now, thanks for reading! I love you all!! <3


	16. EPILOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay friends, this is the ACTUAL last chapter of the fic. It's basically an soft and fluffy epilogue to make up for all of the previous angst!! Please enjoy <3

Peter was asleep. At least, he  _ had been _ until--

 

“Time for school!” a voice blared suddenly.

 

This situation seemed all too familiar.

 

Peter waved his dad away.

“Not now…” he groaned sleepily, “Five more minutes.”

 

Tony ignored his complaints and continued shaking him awake, “Time for school! Time for school!”

 

Before he could protest, Peter felt himself being scooped up from his bed.

His eyes flew open.

“Daaaaaad!” he complained.

 

“Come on you're gonna be late!” Tony tickled his sides, causing the kid to dissolve into a fit of giggles.

 

“Okay! Okay!” he surrendered, fully awake now. “I'm up!”

 

“Good,” his father set him back on the bed. “Now, get moving! It's already 8!”

 

Peter’s eyes widened.

School started at 7:30.

He was already  _ so late _ .

 

The young child dashed about his room, trying to brush his teeth as he threw his clothes on. He nearly mismatched his socks in the rush.

 

His next class started at 8:10. He could still make it!

 

_ 10 minutes left. _

 

Peter sped downstairs. The car was already parked outside.

“Bye Daddy!” he called out as he exited the tower, “Love you!”

 

To his surprise, Tony was waiting for him in the car.

Peter’s forehead creased in confusion. “What are you--?”

 

“You're gonna be late,” his dad cut off. “Just get in, kiddo,” he opened the door.

 

Peter reluctantly climbed onto the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt.

Tony stepped on the gas and began driving to Midtown.

 

However, halfway across their drive, Peter noticed that they weren't heading to Midtown at all.

 

“Daddy,” he looked out the window. “You're going the wrong way.”

 

Tony hummed calmly. “I know.”

 

“But I'm gonna miss class!” Peter exasperated. “And then Mr Harrington’s gonna kill me if I--”

 

Suddenly, it dawned upon him.

 

“Dad…?” Peter slowly turned to him. His eyes went wide with pure realization.

 

Tony's lip quirked into a knowing smirk.

“Yes, Peter?”

 

The child blinked at him incredulously.

“It's a  _ Saturday _ !”

 

“I was wondering when you'd finally catch on…” Tony flashed a smug grin.

Peter’s expression changed.

“Daddy!” he pouted, swatting him on the arm. “That's just mean!”

 

Tony couldn't help but laugh. “I'm sorry, Petey.”

 

Peter raised his brow, unconvinced.

 

“Seriously, I am!” his father promised. “Just trust me, okay?” he ruffled his son's hair.

 

He was in an oddly cheery mood, Peter noticed, but he decided to just go with it.

 

Soon enough, they arrived at their destination.

 

“Central Park?” Peter asked as they exited the car.

 

Tony nodded. “Mhm… Haven't been outside in a while,” he shrugged. “And I figured we could hang out.”

 

“But…” Peter’s face fell slightly. “There are a lot of people…” he noticed. “What if they see--?”

 

The older Stark cut him off. “It's all good, Pete,” he assured, a grin forming on his face. “You’d be surprised by how many people don't recognize me with glasses on.”

 

Tony winked as he put on a pair of glasses.

 

Peter pretended to be surprised. “Oh no!” he over-dramatized, “Where'd daddy go?” 

 

His father chuckled lightly as he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah…” he ruffled the boy’s hair and pulled him to his side. “Let's go.”

 

He led Peter into Central Park. Surprisingly, nobody batted an eye when they entered— nobody noticed, nobody even gave them a second glance.

 

_ Wow _ , Peter thought in awe,  _ the glasses really  _ do _ work… _

 

Tony chose a spot underneath the shade of a tree and sat down. He brought out a paper bag from his backpack and set it in front of Peter.

 

“Here you go…” he offered.

 

Peter tilted his head slightly, not sure what to do with the paper bag. So he unfolded the top and peered into the opening.

 

“A sandwich?”

 

Tony nodded, bringing out a sandwich of his own. “Yup. You forgot to eat breakfast,” he pointed out before taking a bite of his grilled cheese.

 

“Oh,” Peter stared down at his sandwich. He hadn't realized how much his stomach was rumbling.

 

“If you don't want it, I guess it's mine,” Tony grinned as he reached over for the sandwich. But Peter was quicker. He swiped it away with a grin of his own.

 

“Silly daddy, too slow…” he smirked victoriously.

 

Tony rolled his eyes. “A little thank you would be nice…” he joked.

 

“Thanks, dad,” Peter laughed as he proceeded to get peanut butter and jelly all over his mouth. 

 

There was nothing better than eating breakfast with dad and enjoying the outdoors on a Saturday morning.

 

“So how’s school?” Tony popped the last bite into his mouth.

 

“Well, Aunt May brought me there, and she almost wouldn’t let me go,” Peter laughed.

 

Tony hummed in acknowledgement. He could relate.

 

Peter continued, “And Ned gave me a big hug when I came back,” he recalled from yesterday. “Then he told me all about the cool lessons I missed!”

 

Tony huffed in amusement too. “Not surprised that's the first thing you two talked about...” he remarked, wiping off the mess on the kid’s mouth with his handkerchief.

 

“Yeah, and I've got a week’s worth of school work to catch up on,” Peter added.

 

“Need help?”

 

He shook his head. “Nah… I can do it by myself… School is fun!”

 

“And the bully?” Tony's eyes narrowed.

 

“Hm?” his son furrowed his brows in momentary confusion before his eyes grew, “Oh!  _ Flash _ ?” he realized.

 

Tony nodded, his gaze hard.

 

Peter shrugged. “He backed off a bit,” he said, “I mean he can't really tease me about Happy anymore since you asked him to stop following me around.”

 

A satisfied grin spread across Tony's face.

“Good,” he slung an arm on his son's shoulder. “And if he ever bothers you again, just pull whatever you pulled with Arkson.”

 

Peter shuddered slightly at the mention of his captor.

 

Tony grimaced at his mistake. “Too soon?”

 

Picking up on his dad's distress, Peter sent him a reassuring smile, “I can tell you all about it, if you want actually…” he shrugged lightly. “It was pretty cool.”

 

Tony tried to read his son's expression. But eventually, he relaxed into a grateful smile of his own. “How about through a game of catch?” he suggested.

 

Peter’s mind flashed back to the video he had filmed two weeks ago. He couldn't believe his dad remembered.

 

His face broke into a heartfelt grin at the memory, “Yeah… I'd like that.”

  
  


“Go long!” Tony gave his son a heads up before hurling the ball at him.

 

Peter missed by a long shot.

 

“You really need to work on your reflexes, kid,” he called out.

 

“Again! Again!” Peter threw the ball back, eager to try again.

 

Tony chuckled, “Okay then,” he removed his glasses to avoid breaking them. “Go long!”

 

The ball soared in the air as Peter raced after it.  _ Closer. Closer. And-- _

 

“I got it!” he exclaimed as the ball landed in his hands. “I got it, Dad!”

 

Tony whooped and rushed to his kid. He lifted Peter off the ground and set him on his shoulders. “The crowd goes wild,” he cheered. “Aaaaah! Aaaaah!”

 

He placed his son back down and let out a low whistle. “You're getting heavier kiddo,” he admitted. 

 

“Or  _ you're _ getting old,” Peter teased.

 

Tony mimicked a dagger to the heart. “Ouch,” he winced dramatically. “Right in the arc reactor.”

Peter shoved his dad's shoulder in response.

 

The two burst into laughter. Just a father and son playing catch on a regular day. Things were good.

 

As they turned to leave, Peter stopped in his tracks. They were met by another kid who was staring at them with his jaw on the floor.

 

“Parker?!”

 

“Flash?” Peter blinked back at him in shock.

 

Flash’s eyes widened again, somehow bigger than they already were. “T-Tony Stark?!”

 

Panic spread over Peter’s face. He turned to his dad, not entirely sure how he was supposed to react. But weirdly, Tony looked calm, if not a little bit smug.

 

“Uh…” Peter tried to come up with an excuse.

 

But before he could say anything else, Flash ran back to his friends as though he had discovered aliens. “GUUUYS!” he cried out. “YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE. PARKER HE-- TONY STARK I--” his words were indistinguishable as he trailed off into the distance.

 

Tony and Peter exchanged a glance.

 

“Dad! What are we going to do?!” Peter spewed out frantically. “Flash knows! He saw you and he--”

 

“Let him go, Peter...” the older Stark put a hand on his shoulder.

 

Peter stared back at him incredulously.

 

“But, he’ll tell everyone!” he exasperated.

 

Tony put his glasses back on. “Then, we’ll let him,” he shrugged it off. “I want that kid to know who's kid he's messing with.”

 

“But--”

 

“Besides,” he grinned, “Who'd believe him anyway…?”

 

Peter suppressed the urge to grin back.

He was never going to have a normal day ever, was he?

 

But he let himself smile.

 

With Tony Stark as his dad, this was as  _ normal _ as he was gonna get.

 

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... It's actually finished for real this time...
> 
> Btw for anyone wondering how Tony wasn't recognized at all until Flash showed up, it was because of his glasses. He probably used some sort of facial-modification projection technology or something I guess hahaha. Whatever, I'm sure you get my point =)
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH to those who've been following this fic since chapter 1, and to all of you who even managed to make it this far!! This is the first time I've posted a multi-chapter fic, so I appreciate your support so much, and honestly it means a lot to me. Thank you so much again!!
> 
> I really hope you've enjoyed this little journey. It's been a ride of emotions, but I'm glad I got to share this with you. If you're interested in more content for this AU-ish, just let me know, and I'll think about it! I've got a few more ideas, but no promises though hehe... Still, I'm always open to new fic ideas, or if you just wanna message me about this fic, you can find me on Tumblr @whereverythingisnew!!
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I love you all <3


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